Scam Alerts Archives

SCAM ALERT: Beware of check delivered through the mail

November 18, 2024 5:21 PM Seth Ratliff

Jay Dye received a letter in the mail. In the letter was a check for $3,500 and some unique…

Phone scammer claims to be Pocatello Police Captain

November 14, 2024 5:08 PM Tucker Robertson

The Pocatello Police Department has received reports of someone using the name of Cpt.…

How to avoid getting scammed on HVAC inspections

October 15, 2024 5:14 PM Noah Farley

Local News 8 spoke with a local expert to learn how to find a reputable HVAC company and avoid ones that try to scam…

Police warn against phone scams impersonating deputies

August 8, 2024 4:37 PM Noah Farley

A common scam comes from suspects posing as local law enforcement and making victims believe they have a warrant, missed jury duty, or owe some…

Scam Alert: Avoid emails offering ‘approved list of town businesses’

July 30, 2024 9:05 PM News Team

Suspicious emails regarding an “approved list of town businesses”’ are attempting to get community members to share personal…

Calls seeking credit card details for medicaid renewal are fake

May 20, 2024 9:51 AM News Team

With new reports of fake calls wrongly seeking money, Wyoming Medicaid is alerting clients and their family members to be cautious of potential…

Idaho sees uptick in physical gold and precious metal scams

May 18, 2024 12:00 PM News Team

Idahoans are encouraged to be vigilant and to look for the following red flags pertaining to these…

Deepfake call targets Idaho senator and other state officials

May 7, 2024 5:09 PM Noah Farley

“They’re just trying to intervene in our election…

Scams stealing government benefits like unemployment checks have jumped 82%: Here's how to protect yourself

April 17, 2024 11:41 PM Stacker

ConsumerAffairs sheds light on the rise of government benefit theft in the U.S. in 2023 and provides advice on how to protect yourself from this…

Scammers posted obituaries declaring them dead. They were very much alive

March 19, 2024 1:05 PM CNN Newsource

Obituaries for writer Deborah Vankin popped up online in January, complete with morbid images and flattering…

Phone scammers impersonating Bannock County Sheriff’s deputies

March 13, 2024 9:36 AM News Team

The Bannock County Sheriff’s Office is warning the public about phone scams demanding payment for court…

“Doing your research in advance.” How you can stay protected against online scams

March 5, 2024 11:47 AM Kailey Galaviz

This week is National Consumer Protection Week. A time where the Federal Trade Commission wants to drive awareness to avoiding scams, protecting your…

Another scam targets Wyoming Medicaid clients

February 17, 2024 2:00 PM News Team

After hearing of another attempted scam targeted at Wyoming Medicaid clients, the Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) is warning residents to be…

Scammers taking advantage of ACP

February 8, 2024 11:35 AM Noah Farley

“Bad actors have used the program…to deceive customers into signing up for various types of…

FCC votes to ban scam robocalls that use AI-generated voices

February 8, 2024 9:24 AM CNN Newsource

By Brian Fung, CNN Washington (CNN) — The Federal Communications Commission said Thursday it is immediately outlawing scam robocalls featuring…

This holiday spam text season came with less aggressive promotion from brands

January 16, 2024 11:42 PM Stacker

Spokeo analyzed spam text message data from Robokiller to illustrate spam trends over the last…

Idaho businesses warned of scam mailings and ads

January 11, 2024 10:51 AM Noah Farley

“We must look out for small businesses and hold scam artists…

Police warn against phone scam

January 1, 2024 4:03 PM Noah Farley

FREMONT COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – Police say to be aware that there is a current phone scam going around. They say residents are being contacted via…

Beware of mailers appearing to originate from unlicensed consumer lenders

December 21, 2023 9:30 AM News Team

Idaho Department of Finance Director Patricia Perkins is warning consumers to look closely at incoming mail that may appear to be correspondence from…

As scams are get more sophisticated, here’s how to spot them

December 18, 2023 11:52 AM Braydon Wilson

Scammers are just waiting in the corners to get people, especially those who are in the market for some of the bigger shopping…

How to reduce your risk of identity theft

December 17, 2023 2:00 PM News Team

As the holiday season is in full swing, it is important to stay vigilant when it comes to protecting your identity, especially in the digital…

Beware of online purchase scams

December 10, 2023 12:00 PM News Team

The Idaho Department of Finance urges Idaho consumers to exercise heightened caution when purchasing cars, recreational vehicles, farm equipment and…

Investigations ongoing for online Christmas tree scam

December 1, 2023 10:14 AM Evan Thomason

The Better Business Bureau with the state of Idaho is investigating Adjustable Trees for scamming shoppers online who are buying Christmas trees with…

Rocky Mountain Power warns customers about billing scams

November 18, 2023 11:00 AM News Team

Heading into the holiday season, Rocky Mountain Power is reminding customers to be vigilant about fraudulent communications from scammers posing as…

Rexburg police warn about scam

October 23, 2023 11:59 AM News Team

The Rexburg Police Department has received reports of an individual representing himself as an officer from the department by calling or texting…

Police issue real estate scam alert

October 19, 2023 8:00 PM News Team

A less noticeable scam they’ve seen lately is via internet or social media listings for real estate or rental properties.…

How to heal from the high emotional costs of financial scams

September 11, 2023 11:41 PM Stacker

TD Bank spoke with Dr. Traci Williams, a board-certified psychologist and certified financial therapist, on how to heal emotionally after a financial…

Who gets the most spam calls: A ranking of every state

August 16, 2023 11:41 PM Stacker

In partnership with Visible, Stacker analyzed the FCC’s Consumer Complaints data and ranked each state based on the least to the most spam calls…

Officials issue jury scam alert

August 10, 2023 10:37 AM News Team

The Bannock County Clerk’s Office has received numerous reports of phone fraudsters threatening prosecution for failing to appear for jury…

How to avoid home improvement scams

July 11, 2023 11:41 PM Stacker

Today’s Homeowner looks at advice to avoid becoming a victim of a home improvement…

FCC cracks down on spammy text messages

March 17, 2023 7:13 AM CNN Newsource

By Brian Fung, CNN The Federal Communications Commission is cracking down on spammy text messages with new rules for telecom companies, citing a…

Hundreds of US lawmakers and staff affected by data breach

March 8, 2023 5:14 PM CNN Newsource

By Annie Grayer and Sean Lyngaas, CNN Hundreds of US House members and staff had their personally identifiable information stolen in a breach of a DC…

Phishing ‘Business Membership’ email scam targets Jackson

February 9, 2023 3:12 PM News Team

The town of Jackson has been contacted about suspicious emails going around about ‘business-holders…

Scammers posed as tech support to hack employees at two US agencies last year, officials say

January 25, 2023 7:55 PM CNN Newsource

By Sean Lyngaas, CNN Cybercriminals hacked employees of at least two US federal civilian agencies last year as part of a “widespread”…

The biggest scams today and how you can protect yourself from them

December 9, 2022 11:41 PM Stacker

Using data from the BBB Scam Tracker Annual Risk Report, Stacker identified the most common and costly types of scams in…

States scammed out of the most money

November 23, 2022 11:42 PM Stacker

Stacker looked at which states were impacted most by scams in 2021 and the amount of money reported as lost using data from the Federal Trade…

Ada County reports resurgence in tax scam mailer

November 21, 2022 12:08 PM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is asking Idahoans to be on the lookout for a tax scam that may be arriving in their…

Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office issues phone scam alert

November 16, 2022 11:38 AM News Team

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office has been taking multiple reports lately regarding a phone scam targeting our area where suspects are…

Beware of scammers targeting Idaho Power customers

November 16, 2022 11:24 AM News Team

On Utility Scam Awareness Day, recognized Nov. 16 each year, Idaho Power reminds customers to stay vigilant of scams year-round but especially as the…

How to avoid current frauds and scams

October 19, 2022 4:52 PM Seth Ratliff

The Federal Trade Commission and AARP of Idaho are reaching out to Idahoans to prevent fraud before the…

IRS reports significant increase in texting scams; warns taxpayers to remain vigilant

October 9, 2022 10:00 AM News Team

he Internal Revenue Service warns taxpayers of a recent increase in IRS-themed texting scams aimed at stealing personal and financial…

States with the most reported rental scams

October 4, 2022 11:41 PM Stacker

Curious which states have the most reported rental scams? Palm Paradise Real Estate compiled this list using data from the Better Business…

Be aware of catfishing and other romance scams

October 4, 2022 3:44 PM News Team

The Idaho Department of Finance is warning consumers to be on the lookout for romance…

Phone scammers impersonate law enforcement

September 23, 2022 11:03 AM News Team

Bonneville County Sheriff deputies have seen a wide variety of scams and fraudulent activity on social media, emails, texts and cell phone calls…

Scammers are targeting sponsors who are trying to help Ukrainians reach the US

August 3, 2022 6:03 AM CNN Newsource

By Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN A recently reported scam is targeting sponsors who are trying to help Ukrainians come to the United States, according…

Wyoming and Idaho join nationwide Anti-Robocall Litigation Task Force

August 2, 2022 12:16 PM Bill Cummings

Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and Wyoming Attorney General Bridget Hill announced that the two states are joining a nationwide…

Scams continue to target Idaho Power customers

July 23, 2022 8:00 AM News Team

Idaho Power is receiving an increased number of calls from customers reporting several scams.…

The FCC is cracking down on ‘auto warranty’ robocalls

July 21, 2022 1:20 PM CNN Newsource

By Brian Fung, CNN US telecom providers will now be required to block millions of illegal robocalls a day advertising extended vehicle warranties,…

FBI encourages cyber security partnerships in the western United States

July 14, 2022 11:53 AM Seth Ratliff

The FBI held a conference on Thursday, in Salt lake city, to discuss cyber crimes and trends that could affect both private citizens and businesses.…

Be vigilant of scam callers targeting utility customers

July 8, 2022 10:20 AM News Team

The City of Idaho Falls and Idaho Falls Power are reminding customers to be aware of scam callers and to not give any personal information over the…

Attorney General warns Idahoans about summer paving scams

July 4, 2022 11:00 AM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is warning Idahoans about individuals and companies going door-to-door in Treasure Valley neighborhoods offering…

Property tax scam targets Idaho homeowners

June 28, 2022 2:36 PM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and the Idaho State Tax Commission are warning Idahoans about a scam targeting Idaho homeowners.…

Job scams are on the rise. Watch out for these red flags

June 8, 2022 6:14 AM CNN Newsource

By Kathryn Vasel, CNN Business The strong labor market has given us near record low unemployment, higher wages — and an unfortunate uptick in…

Better Business Bureau warns against moving scams

May 23, 2022 2:32 PM Kailey Galaviz

The Better Business Bureau of Idaho is warning movers against potenial scams with moving companies and…

BBB warns against fake charity scams

February 28, 2022 2:34 PM Braydon Wilson

As the Ukrainian-Russian Conflict intensifies daily, the Better Business Bureau is reminding us to take the time to be extra cautious and safe if we…

See how Idaho is affected by e-commerce scams

February 17, 2022 6:33 PM Stacker

Wicked Reports investigated e-commerce scams in Idaho using data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaints…

FBI warns of romance scams

February 14, 2022 12:47 PM News Team

Looking for love? This Valentine’s Day, FBI Salt Lake City is raising awareness about romance scams, or confidence fraud, so you can protect your…

How each state is affected by e-commerce scams

February 10, 2022 11:41 PM Stacker

Wicked Reports broke down state-by-state 2020 data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaints Center (IC3) to determine how each state is harmed by…

BBB issues reminders about online shopping scams

February 3, 2022 3:29 PM Rachel Fabbi

Barr recommends doing research, especially if it’s a company you’re not familiar with, and to find out what others are saying about…

Idaho Power warns customers of ongoing scams

January 26, 2022 11:39 AM News Team

Idaho Power is seeing an uptick in calls from customers reporting several scams.…

Officials issue alert about tax scam targeting Idahoans

January 20, 2022 10:12 AM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and the Idaho State Tax Commission are warning Idahoans about a scam targeting taxpayers.…

Scammers targeting utility customers

January 11, 2022 9:43 AM News Team

During the last couple of days, Idaho Falls Power has received multiple calls from customers regarding utility…

Officials are warning the public about fake COVID-19 testing kits. Here’s how to spot them

January 8, 2022 3:00 AM CNN Newsource

COVID-19 cases continue to rise dramatically, leading to brutally long lines at testing sites and empty shelves at stores where at-home rapid test…

Secret Service accelerates crackdown on COVID-19 scams

December 21, 2021 10:10 AM CNN Newsource

In nearly two years of the coronavirus pandemic, the US Secret Service has seized more than $1.2 billion in relief funds obtained by…

Officials warn of mailers appearing to originate from financial institutions

December 2, 2021 11:54 AM News Team

Idaho Department of Finance Director Patricia Perkins is warning consumers to look closely at incoming mail that may appear to be correspondence from…

Beware of online holiday scams

November 17, 2021 11:35 AM News Team

A new report shows trending holiday scams to look out for…

Text message scam claims to be from the DMV

September 7, 2021 3:51 PM News Team

A text message phishing scam stating the Idaho Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is providing refund payments is circulating.…

Couple convicted in $18M COVID-19 relief scam now on the run

September 1, 2021 7:48 PM Associated Press

A Los Angeles couple who were convicted of helping steal $18 million in COVID-19 relief funds are on the lam after cutting off their ankle…

Pocatello police issue payment scam alert

August 24, 2021 12:49 PM News Team

The Pocatello Police Department was made aware of a possible scam involving the City of Pocatello Utility Billing and their water customers…

FTC warns of new COVID-19 scam

August 19, 2021 5:36 PM News Team

The Federal Trade Commission is warning of a new COVID-19…

Wasden issues consumer alert over online pet scams

July 30, 2021 10:04 AM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is warning Idahoans to avoid buying pets over the internet.…

Caribou County Sheriff issues online scam warning

July 26, 2021 6:04 PM News Team

The Caribou County Sheriff’s Office is warning of an online…

Those annoying robocalls aren’t going to stop today. But they could slow down soon

July 2, 2021 5:53 AM CNN Newsource

The scourge of obnoxious robocalls has resumed after a brief dip during the early months of the pandemic. But a new prevention program developed by…

Travel is back — and so are travel scams

May 26, 2021 2:54 AM CNN Newsource

With more widespread vaccinations and relaxed travel restrictions, many people are making long-awaited vacation plans. But scammers are making plans…

Beware of scam fundraisers related to Rigby School shooting

May 20, 2021 2:50 PM News Team

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden is warning Idahoans about scam fundraisers related to the recent shooting at Rigby Middle School.…

Phone scammers take advantage of Wyoming information breach

April 30, 2021 2:19 PM Associated Press

Telephone scammers are trying to take advantage of an accidental Wyoming Department of Health data release affecting over a quarter of the state’s…

Yes, you are getting lots of robocalls again

March 4, 2021 5:37 PM CNN Newsource

After a year of relief, robocalls are back up to pre-pandemic levels. Americans received more than 4.6 billion robocalls in February, up 15% compared…

Scam artists lurking on dating apps and social media made away with a record haul in 2020

February 22, 2021 4:16 AM CNN Newsource

We expect love to have an emotional impact on us, but a new report released by the Federal Trade Commission revealed it’s also hurting wallets.…

Beware of COVID-19 scams

February 2, 2021 6:05 PM Cole Sams

As more people become eligible to get a vaccination, multiple agencies including the FBI, Food and Drug Administration and local hospitals are…

Got a package you didn’t order? It could be a scam

January 23, 2021 12:15 PM CNN Newsource

Most people who buy things online just have to worry about their deliveries being delayed or never arriving. But some people are dealing with a…

ISP warns of phone scams targeting Idahoans

December 16, 2020 5:30 PM News Team

Idaho State Police have been made aware of another round of telephone scams targeting Idahoans.…

Idaho Power warns of payment scams

November 11, 2020 11:24 AM News Team

Idaho Power Company is warning both business and residential customers to watch out for scams. …

Phone scammers impersonate law enforcement

October 14, 2020 11:38 AM News Team

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office reports a phone scam that appears to have come from a Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office number is hitting…

BBB says scammers are out taking advantage of the pandemic

September 16, 2020 9:26 PM Adrian Luevano

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) – The Better Business Bureau says scammers are out taking advantage of recent natural disasters and the pandemic. A…

Scam calls make rounds in Jefferson County

September 2, 2020 1:36 PM News Team

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reports phone scammers are targeting local county…

Telephone and mail scams target Idaho nurses

August 27, 2020 11:26 AM Chelsea Briar

Idaho nurses are being scammed by mail and phone by people threatening their nursing…

Scammers impersonate Pocatello Police in money-grabbing calls

August 19, 2020 10:15 AM Emma Iannacone

Three separate people called police to report someone impersonating an officer asking for…

Seniors targeted by fraud attempts

July 9, 2020 3:03 PM News Team

Boise Police and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office are reporting an increase in reported fraud attempts. …

Don’t get scammed when applying for a job online

June 23, 2020 5:41 PM Jilliana Colina

Scammers are making a bigger financial crisis among the unemployed even worse according to the Better Business Bureau.…

Idaho AG warns of new scam impersonating contact tracers

June 16, 2020 2:31 PM Emma Iannacone

Scammers are impersonating contact tracers to get people’s financial…

Don’t get scammed by buying inaccurate COVID-19 tests

May 20, 2020 4:25 PM Jilliana Colina

The BBB says with new studies showing that up to 50 percent of people with the virus don’t show any symptoms, a lot of people are curious to get…

FBI warns of coronavirus scams coming to area

April 21, 2020 1:43 PM Emma Iannacone

Here are schemes popping up around the nation to keep an eye out for in our…

Price gouging law in Idaho only covers 4 products

April 8, 2020 5:43 PM Jilliana Colina

The Idaho Attorney Generals office has received over 150 complaints regarding price gouging since governor Brad Little issued an emergency…

Idaho Controller: Scammers stole roughly $500,000 from state

March 6, 2020 4:58 PM Associated Press

The FBI is investigating after hackers stole as much as half a million dollars of Idaho state payments that were intended to go to state…

Unneeded medical brace appears to be part of Medicare scam

December 17, 2019 5:30 PM News Team

For the past several weeks, Glenna Hellickson has been receiving calls from a man who seems to have a lot of personal information about her husband,…

Disney+ users are at risk for hacking

November 20, 2019 12:55 PM Ariel Schroeder

There may be a negative side to the new Disney+ streaming service which is causing new users a headache.…

The Better Business Bureau warns of online dating scams

September 15, 2019 5:25 PM News Team

Swiping right on Tinder? That is now a thing of the past. The newest dating app comes from Facebook, where its goal is to match users based on…

More people claiming they are receiving counterfeit items

September 28, 2019 5:23 PM News Team

The Better Business Bureau is alerting people to a scam that is getting national attention– counterfeit items. Many people are reporting to the…

A closer look into Pocatello’s cybersecurity

October 21, 2019 6:04 PM News Team

After a breach that left Pocatello utilities customers’ financial information vulnerable to hackers, the City is beefing up its’…

Online gaming scam offers kids free currency

October 8, 2019 12:50 AM News Team

“Lets me be realistic here, no one is going to want to give you free Roblux,” said Jace. Avid video gamer Jace, is one of many online…