44 Eagan Residents Lost $811k In Scams Last Year: City

EAGAN, MN — A total of 44 Eagan residents lost $811,735 in scams, according to the city. Among the victims was a man who wired $285,000 to China because he thought his boss was requesting the funds.

The victims vary in age, degrees of education, and socioeconomic status.

"Scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch people off guard when they’re not expecting it," the city said in a statement.

"The best way to prevent a scam is to be alert to the fact that scams exist, and then learn what warning signs look like. Most scams work to incite panic and require a person to take immediate action. When the victim panics from a supposed missed bill or threat of arrest, their critical thinking shuts down. Scammers then take advantage of this panicked state and can convince people to divulge personal information and/or to give up money to remedy the situation. Many times, they will ask victims to send payments in non-traditional methods such as gift cards or wire transfers."

View a table with a breakdown of the scams and victims in Eagan here.