Law enforcement urges the public not to fall for scams

BELMONT COUNTY, OHIO (WTRF) – Scams can be devastating, and they’re increasingly hard to detect.

The Belmont County Prosecutor’s Office has investigated online, phone and mail scams.

One current scam is sending an email saying you’re having computer or bank issues, and urging you to contact their office at a given phone number or email address to get it fixed.

If you follow their directions, they can wipe out your life savings.

“You need to make sure that if somebody is trying to get you to do something, that you do your due diligence before you do it. Because simply by giving a little bit of your personal information can expose you to a number of these scams. Also if somebody tells you that they will come to your house to retrieve money, that is a telltale sign that it is a scam.”

Kevin Flanagan, Belmont County Prosecutor

Recently in Belmont County, a scammer was sentenced to 8 to 11 years in prison for fleecing a man out of nearly $300,000. He pretended to be a police officer collecting fines to keep the man from going to jail.

Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan urges anyone questioning whether something is real to call the organization the person is claiming to represent, or call the local police or prosecutor.

He says even when they catch and prosecute the scammer, it’s often impossible to get the victim’s money back.

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