Scam Alerts Rise as Larimer County Sheriff Warns of New Fraud Tactics

Scambuster newsletter highlights rental scams, AI extortion, fake jury warrants, banking fraud, and schemes targeting older adults.

Larimer County residents are being urged to stay alert as scammers continue to adapt their tactics, using artificial intelligence, impersonation, and emotional manipulation to steal money and personal information.

In the latest Scambuster newsletter, the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office outlines a wide range of scams currently affecting Colorado residents, including fraudulent rental listings, fake jury duty warrants, banking impersonation calls, AI-generated extortion schemes, and scams targeting older adults.

Among the most common internet scams are fake rental listings posted on popular platforms. Scammers copy legitimate property photos, advertise homes at unusually low prices, and request deposits before prospective renters ever see the property. The Sheriff’s Office recommends verifying property ownership through county records, insisting on an in-person tour, and using reverse image searches to identify fraudulent listings.

Officials also continue to receive reports of callers impersonating law enforcement, claiming victims missed jury duty and must immediately pay thousands of dollars to avoid arrest. The Sheriff’s Office emphasized that jury commissioners never call or text demanding payment, and legitimate law enforcement agencies do not request money over the phone.

Bank fraud remains another major concern. Scammers posing as bank security personnel attempt to convince victims to move funds into so-called “safe accounts,” provide account information, withdraw cash, or lie to bank employees. Residents are advised to hang up immediately and contact their financial institution using an official phone number.

The newsletter also highlights growing concerns about artificial intelligence. Criminals are now using publicly available social media photos to create fake explicit images and extort victims with threats to distribute them to family and friends. Teenagers remain particularly vulnerable to online exploitation schemes in which scammers pose as peers before demanding money after obtaining explicit images. The Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to make social media profiles private and to limit the personal information they share online.

Computer support scams continue to evolve as well. Victims may encounter fake Microsoft security alerts claiming their computer has been hacked. The scammers often request remote access, claim the victim is involved in criminal activity, and demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or cash. Officials stress that legitimate technology companies will never require gift cards or cryptocurrency to resolve computer issues.

Older adults remain frequent targets because scammers often view them as more trusting and financially secure. The Sheriff’s Office recommends that families consider safeguards such as trusted banking contacts, transaction alerts, credit freezes, power-of-attorney planning, and blocking unknown callers to help protect vulnerable loved ones.

One encouraging development included in the newsletter is the federal indictment of individuals accused of stealing approximately $350,000 from victims through romance scams, a reminder that some fraud investigations do result in criminal prosecutions.

Regardless of the scam, officials say the warning signs are often the same: requests for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, Zelle, Venmo, or Cash App; demands to keep the conversation secret; pressure to act immediately; and requests to remain on the phone throughout the transaction.

Residents who suspect they are being targeted by a scam are encouraged to stop communicating with the caller or sender and contact the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office before sending money or providing personal information. Additional fraud-prevention resources are available from the Larimer County Sheriff’s Office at https://www.larimer.gov/sheriff/services/information/frauds-scams.

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Source: Larimer County Sheriff’s Office Scambuster Newsletter.

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