MORE AND MORE FOLKS ARE TURNING OUT FOR OUR SCAMS/FRAUD PRESENTATION

Published on May 27, 2025

About 30 folks showed up for our YCSO Scams and Fraud presentation this month at Willow Wind Assisted Living in Prescott, as Fraud Investigator Ron Norfleet told the group that 2025 already has county residents losing millions of dollars to scammers. He urged them to remember the motto, "Guilty until proven innocent" when it comes to contact from people you don't know and have never met in person.

Last year, in unincorporated Yavapai county alone, nearly $5.5 million was taken from victims of scams and fraud (an average of $22,000 per reported loss of money). Not even halfway through this year, Norfleet said, YCSO has seen at least that much lost to multiple scams, with cryptocurrency fraud schemes among the worst. He strongly encouraged seniors not to answer unsolicited calls, texts, emails, or social media contacts from any numbers or senders they don't recognize or know personally. Don't forget that with technology, scammers can put anything they want on your caller ID screen, so don't assume the contact is from a legitimate agency or bank. Investigate the claim for yourself by calling a trusted phone number that you look up on your own. And, of course, never click on any links in texts or emails.

Some of the worst scams in this county in 2025 began with a simple text message, like "Did you make this purchase? Respond YES or NO." One victim who answered ended up involved in a complex scam with the FBI supposedly investigating his bank for money laundering. At the end, the resident lost $40,000 to the fraud, which included a phony promise that the feds were depositing that much into his bank account to use as part of the "investigation".

Others have been duped after answering a text saying, "Are you busy?" or "Hey, old friend, how have you been?" All the scammer wants is a reply (usually "Who is this?") to start some type of conversation that eventually leads to asking for personal information or maybe an invitation to join some type of fantastic money-making investment opportunity. If you have older loved ones or friends, YCSO encourages you to share this type of scam information with them and to look for signs that they may already be getting contacts from these criminals. Many times, the victim of a scam will be secretive about what's happening, either out of embarrassment that they fell for the con job or because the scammer threatened them if they tell others about it.

And please contact our YCSO Fraud Investigations Unit at (928) 771-3299 or (928) 771-3260 if you know about any type of scam attempt or if you know someone has become a financial victim, or to schedule this free public presentation in your area. Let's work together to stop these criminals who prey on all folks, but especially on our senior population.