(Photo provided by FBI)

 

The Albuquerque FBI Division released their annual warning against holiday scammers Monday, Dec. 12 and this year it includes pig butchering scams.

“Scams take many forms, and criminals every year try to think up new ways to steal your money,” Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division said.

The FBI is calling attention to a growing investment scam known as “pig butchering,” a fraud that is heavily scripted and contact intensive.

“Pig Butchering” is a new form of scamming where pigs, or victims, are promised riches through cryptocurrency. After the victim has invested their money into the “riches” the scammers cut all contact or butcher the victim and keep the investment for themselves.

Usually this transaction takes place on a fake website that the scammer directs people to after connecting on social media or a dating app.

New Mexico law enforcement has noticed an increase in another scheme that involves perpetrators informing victims – who are usually elderly – that their bank or other accounts have been compromised and “unusual transactions” are occurring.

The perpetrators will tell the victim to move all their assets to a safer, “U.S. Government protected” account and give them a link to use to transfer the funds.

In some instances, the scheme uses fake law enforcement websites that try to prove that the perpetrator is legitimate.

“One thing stays the same: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. You can protect yourself from most scams by being suspicious of unsolicited emails and making sure you secure your banking and credit accounts with strong passwords,” Bujanda said.

Other popular scams according to FBI:

Sweepstakes scams.  Victims, who are usually elderly, are notified they won a sweepstakes but first need to send money in order to cover taxes and other processing fees.

Phony Amazon scams.  Perpetrators pretending to be from Amazon notify victims their credit card on file is no longer working  and they need to supply another. Or scammers will ask victims about a “suspicious purchase” that is being investigated by the FBI or other law enforcement. The victim is told they need to pay a certain amount of money to restore their account.

Online shopping scams. Criminals offer too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing emails or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive.

Tips to Avoid Being Victimized from FBI:

Do your homework on the retailer/website/person to ensure legitimacy.

Conduct a business inquiry of the online retailer on the Better Business Bureau’s website (www.bbb.org).

Be wary of online retailers offering goods at significantly discounted prices.

Check each website’s URL to make sure it’s legitimate and secure. A site you’re buying from should have https in the web address. If it doesn’t, don’t enter your information on that site.

Beware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card.

Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited e-mails.

Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail or respond to them.

Check credit card statements routinely.

Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.

Secure credit card accounts, even rewards accounts, with strong passphrases. Change passwords and check accounts routinely.

What to Do if You Are a Victim:

If you are a victim of an online scam, the FBI recommends taking the following actions:

Contact your financial institution immediately upon discovering any fraudulent or suspicious activity and direct them to stop or reverse the transactions.

Ask your financial institution to contact the corresponding financial institution where the fraudulent or suspicious transfer was sent.

Report the activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov, regardless of dollar loss. Provide all relevant information in the complaint.

For additional information and consumer alerts, and to report scams to the FBI, visit IC3.gov

Get more information: fbi.gov/holidayscams