Scammers frequently change names, telephone numbers, websites, and stories, but most schemes fall into a few familiar categories. Use this page to understand how common scams work and what makes each one distinctive.

For general warning signs and safe online habits, visit Recognize & Avoid Scams. If you have already sent money or shared personal information, go directly to What to Do After a Scam.

Family and Relationship Scams:

Family-Emergency and Grandchild Scams

Someone claims that a child, grandchild, or other relative has been arrested, injured, kidnapped, or stranded. The caller may impersonate the family member or claim to be a police officer, attorney, doctor, or bail agent.

Artificial intelligence can now be used to imitate a person’s voice, making the call more convincing.

Common features include:

• A demand for immediate payment
• Instructions not to contact other relatives
• A request for bail, legal fees, medical expenses, or transportation
• Payment through cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer
• An explanation for why the family member’s usual telephone cannot be used

End the call and contact the family member directly using a number you already have. If you cannot reach that person, call another relative. Consider establishing a private family verification word or phrase for genuine emergencies.

Romance Scams

A scammer creates an online relationship and gradually builds trust before requesting money. The person may claim to be working overseas, serving in the military, managing a large project, or experiencing a sudden emergency.

The scammer may:

• Avoid meeting in person or participating in a live video call
• Move the conversation away from the original website
• Profess strong feelings unusually quickly
• Report repeated emergencies
• Request travel expenses, medical costs, customs fees, taxes, or investments
• Encourage cryptocurrency trading
• Ask you to receive or transfer money

Do not send money, investments, account access, or financial information to someone you have not independently verified and met in person. Photographs and identification documents can be stolen or fabricated.

Caregiver, Relative or Acquaintance Exploitation

Financial exploitation is not always committed by a stranger. A relative, caregiver, neighbor, friend, or trusted professional may misuse access or authority.

Possible indicators include:

• Unexplained withdrawals or transfers
• Missing cash, checks, property, or valuables
• Sudden changes to wills, deeds, beneficiaries, or powers of attorney
• Bills going unpaid despite adequate income
• Signatures that appear unusual
• A new person controlling access to the individual
• Pressure to sign documents that are not understood
• Isolation from family, friends, or advisers

Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger. Suspected exploitation of an older or disabled adult may also be reported to law enforcement and Adult Protective Services.

Government and Benefits Scams:

Law-Enforcement, Court and Jury-Duty Scams

A caller claims that you:

• Missed jury duty
• Failed to respond to a subpoena
• Have an outstanding warrant
• Owe a fine
• Must pay to avoid arrest
• Need to participate in a confidential investigation

The caller may use the name of a real officer, judge, court, or agency. Caller ID may display a legitimate government number.

Courts and police departments do not require immediate payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, cash delivery, or gold. Hang up and contact the agency using its publicly listed number.

Social Security Scams

A scammer may claim that your Social Security number:

• Has been suspended
• Was connected to criminal activity
• Must be verified
• Needs to be replaced
• Will cause your benefits to stop

The caller may request your Social Security number, bank information, or payment.

Do not provide information or payment. Contact the Social Security Administration through its official website or a number you independently verify.

Medicare and Health Insurance Scams

A caller may offer:

• Free medical equipment
• Genetic testing
• Back, knee, or other braces
• A new Medicare card
• Prescription benefits
• A refund
• Enrollment in a different plan
• Services supposedly recommended by your doctor

The caller’s actual goal may be to obtain a Medicare number, Social Security number, or bank information—or to bill Medicare for services that were never provided.

Do not provide your Medicare number to an unexpected caller. Review Medicare statements for unfamiliar charges and contact Medicare directly through Medicare.gov.

IRS and Tax Scams

Scammers may threaten arrest, license suspension, deportation, or property seizure for supposedly unpaid taxes. Others offer unexpected tax refunds or ask you to “verify” personal information.

The IRS does not initiate contact by text message, social media, or unexpected email to demand payment. Visit IRS Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts for current information.

Veterans’ Benefit Scams

Scammers may offer to:

• Increase disability benefits
• Expedite a claim
• Help obtain military records
• Charge for services available at no cost
• Purchase future benefit payments
• Obtain personal information through a fake veterans’ organization

Verify benefit assistance through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or an accredited veterans service organization.

Financial and Investment Scams

Bank and Credit-Card Impersonation

A caller or message claims that suspicious activity has been detected. The scammer may know the name of your bank, part of an account number, or recent personal information.

The scammer may ask you to:

• Confirm a password or verification code
• Move money to a “safe account”
• Install an application
• Allow remote access
• Send money back to reverse a transaction
• Approve a fraudulent transfer

Do not use a link or telephone number provided in the message. Contact the financial institution using the number on the back of your card or a trusted statement.

Your bank will not tell you to move money to another account to protect it.

Investment Scams

Investment scams often promise:

• Guaranteed returns
• Little or no risk
• Exclusive access
• A limited opportunity
• Secret information
• Consistently high profits
• Assistance from a successful online mentor or romantic partner

The investment may involve stocks, real estate, precious metals, promissory notes, or cryptocurrency. A fraudulent website may display impressive profits, but withdrawals may be blocked unless additional “taxes” or “fees” are paid.

Verify the person and investment independently before transferring money. Be particularly cautious when investment advice begins through social media, a messaging application, or an online relationship.

Cryptocurrency Scams

Cryptocurrency scams may begin as:

• An investment opportunity
• A romance
• A government impersonation
• A bank-security warning
• A technology-support call
• A demand to use a cryptocurrency ATM

Cryptocurrency payments are often difficult to trace and generally cannot be reversed. No legitimate government agency, police department, court, or bank will direct you to purchase cryptocurrency to resolve an emergency.

Lottery, Sweepstakes and Prize Scams

A message announces that you won a prize, even though you may not remember entering. Before receiving it, you are told to pay:

• Taxes
• Shipping costs
• Insurance
• Customs charges
• Processing fees

Legitimate prizes do not require upfront payment. Never deposit a check from a prize organization and return part of the money. The original check may later be found fraudulent, leaving you responsible for the loss.

Fake Check and Overpayment Scams

A scammer sends a check for more than the amount owed and asks you to return the difference. The check may initially appear in your account before the bank discovers that it is fraudulent.

These scams frequently involve:

• Online sales
• Employment offers
• Mystery shopping
• Rental deposits
• Prize winnings
• Payments for services

A bank making funds temporarily available does not mean the check is legitimate. You may be responsible for money withdrawn or transferred before the check is rejected.

Home and Consumer Scams

Contractor and Home-Repair Scams

A person may arrive unexpectedly and claim that your roof, driveway, trees, gutters, HVAC system, or other property needs immediate work.

Be cautious when a contractor:

• Appears without being requested
• Claims to have leftover materials
• Demands a large cash deposit
• Pressures you to decide immediately
• Cannot provide a verifiable local address
• Refuses to provide a written contract
• Asks you to obtain permits
• Requests full payment before work is complete

Obtain multiple written estimates, verify references and licensing when applicable, and do not allow an unknown person into your home. Report aggressive or suspicious door-to-door activity to the Pinehurst Police Department.

Utility Scams

A caller claims that electricity, water, gas, cable, or another service will be disconnected unless immediate payment is made.

End the call and contact the utility using the number on an established bill or its official website. Utilities do not require payment by gift card, cryptocurrency, or cash delivery.

Technology-Support Scams

A telephone call, email, text, or computer pop-up claims that:

• Your computer has a virus
• Your account was hacked
• Your subscription will renew
• Your device is sending illegal information
• A refund is owed to you

The scammer asks to access your device remotely or instructs you to install software.

Do not call telephone numbers in pop-up warnings or allow unexpected callers to control your device. Close the browser or turn off the device and contact a trusted technology professional if assistance is needed.

Fake Charity Scams

Scammers take advantage of disasters, illnesses, veterans’ causes, animal welfare, and other emotional issues.

Before donating:

• Verify the organization independently.
• Do not rely on a name that sounds familiar.
• Be cautious of high-pressure requests.
• Do not provide banking information to an unexpected caller.
• Ask how the donation will be used.
• Pay through the charity’s verified website.

Funeral and Obituary Scams

Information published in an obituary may be used to contact grieving family members. Scammers may claim that the deceased:

• Owed a debt
• Had an unpaid bill
• Purchased a product or service
• Left a package or insurance benefit
• Was involved in a financial arrangement

Do not make a payment based on an unexpected claim. Ask for written documentation and verify it with the estate’s attorney, executor, or financial institution.

Email, Text and Online Scams

Phishing Emails and Text Messages

Phishing messages often impersonate a trusted business or agency and claim:

• A package cannot be delivered
• A payment failed
• An account was locked
• A subscription is renewing
• A toll or fine is unpaid
• A refund is available
• Suspicious activity was detected

The link may lead to a fake website designed to steal passwords, payment information, or personal details.

Do not use the link. Open the organization’s official application or type its known website address yourself.

Online Shopping Scams

A fake store may advertise popular products at unusually low prices. Warning signs include:

• No verifiable contact information
• Recently created social media accounts
• Poor or copied product descriptions
• Payment requested through an unusual method
• Prices far below other sellers
• No clear return policy
• A website address that imitates a known retailer

Search for the business independently and pay by credit card when possible. Credit cards generally provide better dispute protections than gift cards, wire transfers, payment applications, or cryptocurrency.

Social Media Impersonation

A scammer may copy a friend’s name and photograph, then send a new connection request or message asking for money, promoting an investment, or claiming to know about a government grant.

Contact the person through a different method before responding. Report the fake account to the social media platform.

Malicious QR Codes

A fraudulent QR code may lead to a fake payment page or website. Scammers sometimes place their own QR code over a legitimate code on parking meters, signs, flyers, or payment terminals.

Before proceeding:

• Check whether the code appears altered or covered.
• Review the website address before entering information.
• Avoid QR codes received through unexpected messages.
• Use an official application or website when available.

Learn More or Report a Scam

For additional examples and current warnings, visit:

• FTC Consumer Scam Information
• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
• AARP Fraud Watch Network

If you already sent money or shared personal information, go to What to Do After a Scam.

To find the appropriate local, state, or federal reporting agency, visit Report Fraud.

Pinehurst Police—Non-Emergency: 910-295-3141
Emergency or crime in progress: 911