Scam Sites Shut Down By DuPage Co. State's Attorney, Secret Service

DUPAGE COUNTY — The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office announced that they recentlyshut down some 350 fake investment websites with the help of the U.S. Secret Service. Over 90 days, the initiative targeted sites that use a method called "pig butchering," in which scammers dupe victims into sending money for help with false emergencies.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in a pig butchering scheme, scammers form relationships with victims via social media, dating sites or other methods of contact. They then convince victims to invest their money in cryptocurrency, but the funds are funneled into accounts that are operated by those who run the pig butchering scams.

“While the use of technology has certainly enhanced our lives from keeping in touch with loved ones through being more productive at work, it has also made us much more vulnerable,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, “Even for those who are familiar with potential scams on the Internet, it is still extremely easy to become a target of such scams. To minimize the chances of becoming a victim, do not provide any personal information, particularly financial information, to anyone you have only corresponded with online or on the phone. I would also say to trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right about a transaction, do not complete it.”

It's estimated that the initiative could have helped save close to 18,000 residents from being duped by fraudulent sites.

Click the link to see tips from the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office and the U.S. Secret Service for helpavoiding online scams.