Pittsburgh FBI Office Warns Of Scammers' Threat

PITTSBURGH, PA — The FBI has a bit of advice as it launches a nationwide effort to try to thwart a growing amount of online scams and fraud: "Take A Beat."

That's the name of the bureau's new public awareness campaign that urges people to resist a scammer's pressure to act quickly, pause for a moment and assess the situation when they feel they could be a fraud target.

Too many people do not do that, bureau officials contend. According to the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Complaint Center data, there were $1.6 billion in losses from January to May of 2024, which is nearly $300 million more from the same time last year.

“These criminals are not only wiping out the life savings of people in our community, but they’re also stealing peace of mind. The emotional and financial tolls of these schemes can be devastating.,” FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Kevin Rojek said in a release.

“We believe empowering the community with this information can be a first line of defense to spot and stop fraud. The FBI and our partners stand together to prevent, investigate, and prosecute these crimes to bring scammers to justice.”

While fraud can happen to anyone, the FBI contends that mall steps can be taken to protect yourself and your information:

• Take precautionary measures to protect your identity should a criminal gain access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor for suspicious activity.
• Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers.
• Search online for the contact information (name, phone number, email, addresses) of any unknown source which reaches out to you, as well as the proposed offer. Verify the legitimacy of businesses on websites such as Better Business Bureau. Other people have likely posted information online about businesses and individuals attempting to run scams.
• Never give or send to unverified people or businesses any personally identifiable information, money, checks, gift cards, or wire information.

If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of a fraud or scam, contact your local FBI office or submit a complaint here. You should document the name of the scammer/company and methods of contact, dates of contact, methods of payment, where funds may have been sent, and a thorough description of the interactions.