Scam Warnings Issued In Meriden

MERIDEN, CT — The Meriden Police Department is advising residents of several tips to help avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

Police said the department has seen a "substantial amount of fraud reports" and said most of the cases could have been "prevented with a little bit of information."

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Police shared several tips from the department's Financial Crimes Investigator, Detective Jon Femia, in a post on Facebook.

Read more from the Meriden Police Department below:

If they ask you to pay in gift cards of any type, for example Apple, Amazon, Visa, or CVS gift cards, it's a scam.

If you get a call from someone saying they are from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and there is an issue with your accounts or threatening your arrest or with using DCF against you, it's a scam.

If they ask you to pay in gold bars or other precious metals, it's a scam.

If they instruct you to withdraw money from the bank and to give the money to an "agent" who will come to your home, it's a scam.

If they tell you to withdraw money from the bank and instruct you to leave your phone on so they can listen while you're getting the money, it's a scam.

If they tell you to lie to the bank about why you're getting the money " to protect the investigation," it's a scam.

If they start communicating with you on common online platforms such as Facebook, but then ask you to communicate with them using a different application such as Telegram or Signal, it's a scam.

If you get a random "pop up" window with a phone number on your computer directing you to contact "Microsoft" or any other technical support, it's a scam.

If you get a text message or phone call from someone claiming to be from the government or your bank that's claiming there is an issue with your account and directing you to click a link or to provide information to verify your account information, it's a scam.

If you've had an online "relationship" with someone, but every time you're supposed to meet them in person, something comes up and they can't meet, it's a scam.

If you're contacted and told your electricity, water or some other utility is going to be shut off unless you immediately send payment in cryptocurrency, it's a scam.

Scammers especially target the elderly, the vulnerable, and the lonely. They are manipulative and prey upon emotions such as fear and loneliness. They often try to create a sense of urgency in their victims and try to rush them into making decisions to share personal information or send them money. Whether its promises of sky-high investment returns or some random beautiful person trying to have a relationship with you, if it sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

The Meriden Police Department is sharing this information so that you can avoid being victimized. The reality is that once you've been scammed, it is very unlikely your money will be recovered. There are also substantial obstacles to investigating and successfully prosecuting many types of fraud, especially when it originates overseas.

Your best defense against fraud is knowledge. Use these tips to stay safe. And that's no scam.