by North Forty News Staff | NorthFortyNews.com
From fake refunds and job offers to “phantom hacker” extortion, LCSO flags the month’s top scams—and how to avoid them
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) Scambuster team reports a surge of old, modified, and brand-new scams targeting Northern Colorado this month. Below is a plain-English guide to the latest tactics, along with the steps you can take to protect yourself and your neighbors.
Text Scams to Watch
“HELP” one-word bait
Unknown sender texts “HELP” to spark a response and groom victims.
What to do: Do not reply. Block, report as spam, delete.
Job-offer texts with foreign country codes
Too-good-to-be-true pay from +91 (India) or +44 (UK), or “campus job” checks that ask you to forward money to others.
Red flags: High pay for little work; asking you to move money; minimal vetting.
What to do: Block, report spam, delete. Never cash a check and forward funds.
Amazon “refund” or “payment declined” notices via text/email
Misspellings or strange characters, vague order info, links to “claim” refunds.
What to do: Do not click links. Go directly to your Amazon account to verify. Move emails to spam and delete.
Coinbase withdrawal codes you didn’t request
What to do: If you didn’t initiate it, assume fraud. Check your credit and place freezes if needed (see “Good News: Why Credit Freezes Work” below).
“Reschedule your FedEx delivery” links
Often, mass texts from foreign country codes link to demands for immediate action.
What to do: Don’t click. Contact the shipper through official channels.
Email Scams on the Rise
“Thanks for your order,” confirmations you never placed
Includes “auto-renewal” warnings, partial card numbers, and a hotline to “cancel.”
What to do: Do not call or click. Mark as spam and delete.
Xfinity terms-of-service “confirmation”
Sent from non-Xfinity addresses and asks you to click to accept new terms.
What to do: Mark as spam and delete.
Bank alert about a new account in your name
Unknown bank, no branch location, non-official phone number.
What to do: Delete. Freeze credit with all three bureaus and report to the FTC/IC3.
“Do me a favor” church/pastor gift-card requests
Impersonation emails ask for multiple high-value gift cards.
What to do: Don’t respond. Contact your pastor through a verified channel.
Mail Scams Hitting Local Households
Discover card notice with a mismatched name
Legit-looking letter, but you don’t have that card, and the name is partly wrong.
What to do: Contact the issuer, check your credit, and file reports as needed.
Loveland PD community alert: CSAM blackmail threats
Letters instruct recipients to scan QR codes or send money.
What to do: Do not scan or contact numbers. Secure the material and call Loveland PD’s non-emergency line at 970-667-2151.
SBA “overdue loan” notifications
Real letterhead, partially correct name, but you never took out a loan.
What to do: Verify in the SBA portal. Report fraud to law enforcement and federal agencies; freeze credit.
Phone Scams
Publishers Clearing House winnings that require payment
Request for cash or gift cards; follow-up calls claiming to be the Colorado Attorney General.
What to do: You never pay to claim a prize. Let unknown calls go to voicemail, block, and report.
Land-sale impostors
Out-of-state “owner” pushes for digital notarization and quick under-market sale.
What to do (owners): Enroll in Larimer County’s Recording Activity Notice (RAN) to get alerts on your property filings: larimer.gov/clerk.
What to do (realtors): Rigorously verify IDs, titles, and notary requests; report suspicions immediately.
Internet & Social Scams
Puppy/kitten deposits for pets you never meet
Polished websites, requests for Zelle/Chime, and mounting “shipping” fees.
What to do: Never pay before meeting the animal and vetting the breeder. File a report if you’re targeted.
Catfishing and extortion
Refusal to video chat; requests for money; threats to publish private images.
What to do: Stop contact, block, and report to police, FTC, and IC3.
Hacked social accounts for resale scams
Bad actors lock you out and message your contacts to “sell” items.
What to do: Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication; start recovery at the platform’s official help page.
Computer Support Pop-Ups
“Your computer is hacked—call now.”
Demands remote access, tells you to open your bank account and buy gift cards or crypto.
What to do: Power down and restart. Never call on-screen numbers, never open your bank while on a call, and never pay via money cards or crypto.
Good News: Why Credit Freezes Work
Credit freezes are free, don’t affect your score, and are stronger than fraud alerts at blocking new-account fraud. You can use both together. Learn how to place a freeze via the FTC’s guidance: consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/09/get-credit-freeze-stop-identity-thieves.
Enforcement Wins
The U.S. Department of Justice recently announced prison sentences tied to a “phantom hacker” money-laundering ring that coerced victims into moving funds to “safe” accounts—actually controlled by criminals. Details: justice.gov announcement. Remember: anyone asking you to move your money to a “safe” account is scamming you.
Quick Red Flags (Clip and Save)
- “Don’t tell anyone.” Isolation is a hallmark of scams.
- Requests for bitcoin, wire transfer, gift/money cards, or cash apps with no buyer protection.
- “Click this link” or “call this number” from unsolicited messages.
- “Let me use your computer” to issue a refund.
- “Open your bank account while we’re on the phone.”
Local Resources and How to Report
- LCSO Fraud and Scam information hub: larimer.gov/sheriff/frauds-and-scams
- File federal reports: IC3.gov, FTC.gov, IdentityTheft.gov
Information courtesy of the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Scambuster Newsletter (Barbara EJ Bennett, Chief Scambuster).