April showers bring, well, snow in the mountains. With the ski resorts extending their closings, I am looking forward to some spring skiing.



Motor vehicle thefts continue to be a problem, but I want to ensure you know about a new program called DenverTrack, which was developed by the Denver Police Department to try to curb some of the activity. Read about it in this Denverite article.

Please remember when you leave your car, close all the windows, lock the doors, and remove everything from the car. The thief won’t know there is nothing of value in your old gym bag until after your vehicle is gone. Also, note that Kia and Huyndai vehicles together make up more than 40% of Denver car thefts according to a March 22, AXIOS Denver report.

As always stay safe.  

Beth

Apple Passcode Theft

Enjoying yourself at a crowded bar, sporting event, or street fair? Make sure a thief isn’t looking over your shoulder while you type in your passcode. Thieves are watching you type in your passcode and then stealing the phone itself. Once they have your iPhone and the passcode, the contents of your phone may be lost forever. The “Find My Phone” app will be useless to you as the thief has already changed your passcode and locked you out with no way to access your information. Within a very short amount of time, one victim’s thief had changed the iPhone passcode and accessed her banking account passwords. They then changed her bank passwords and transferred about $10,000 from her bank account to their account. 

What’s stored on your iPhone? All those keychain passwords to your bank accounts and businesses are vulnerable. And it’s not just your favorite memories from your recent vacation you will lose. your photos of your passports, driver’s license, and social security cards, have just been handed over to the thief.  "Once you get into the phone, it's like a treasure box," said a detective who investigated a high-profile theft ring. 

Watch one victim’s account of what happened when her passcode was stolen here. Then read about the issue and ways to protect yourself here.  

The Grandmother Scam in the World of AI (Artificial Intelligence )

Our office has been conducting fraud presentations for years and we always warn against believing a common impersonator scam call, often referred to as the grandparent scam. Many fall victim to this scam particularly because the scammer creates such a level of fear that victims respond before they can think straight. 

Some victims realize that the voice on the other end of the phone doesn’t sound like their favorite grandchild and quickly hang up, saving themselves from losing money to a scammer. 

But what if the voice on the other line sounds just like your grandchild? That can happen now through the magic of AI (artificial intelligence). Using this technology, scammers can re-create the pitch, timbre, and accent of an individual. Scammers are making use of this technology to replicate a voice, convincing the victim that the voice on the other line is truly their loved one.

Where do they get the voice sample? If you have ever made a TikTok or a video on Facebook, your voice is out there, ready to be replicated. The Federal Trade Commission is warning consumers if you receive a call from an unknown number, let the other person speak first just in case the scammer is mining for your voice. 

Scammers often try to bully victims into transferring money through a mobile payment app, by wiring money or by purchasing gift cards or money orders. Some may even request to meet to receive money in person. If you get a call like this, hang up and report it immediately to local law enforcement.



The bottom line is, if you receive a call saying your loved one is in trouble, do not trust the voice. Practice patience and control before you react. Call your loved one directly to verify they are where they should be, at home and not in a Mexican jail.  

Read about it here.

Do you suspect you've been scammed or exploited?

Report it to us by calling our Fraud Hotline.

Contact

The Denver DA's

FRAUD HOTLINE

720.913.9179