Residents in Ohio are being "beta tested" by cybercrime for a scam that will inevitably also hit all other states. Here is your Scam Of The Week heads-up.
This particular scam will also very likely be sent via email so please alert your employees, friends and family. People have been receiving calls from a spoofed 911 emergency number. The message asks them to call a bogus Attorney General phone number to prevent their pending arrest, which could be settled by paying a fine.
Tricking people into paying money to avoid prosecution is not an uncommon phone scam, but the level of social engineering used by the criminals in this case sets the operation apart.
Since the beginning of the month, the Office of the Attorney General in Ohio received more than 20 complaints regarding these nefarious activity. I would send the following to your contacts. Feel free to edit:
"Recently a scam has surfaced from a fake 911 emergency number. The message states you need to call the Attorney General's Office and pay a fine or get arrested. You may also get an email stating the same. Be alert for this scam, and do not comply with demands to provide money over the phone or email even if it appears to be from law enforcement or from the government. Think Before You Click!"
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