Tipp of the Week: Scams, Scams, and MORE Scams

Hello, Tipp City! Marc the Cop here, 

Recently, there has been a significant surge in scams targeting the theft of your money or personal information.

One of my favorites was the one where they claimed to be from the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles. I laughed out loud when I got that one. Susan asked me, “What is so funny?” I showed her the text. It claimed I had an outstanding traffic ticket that needed to be paid or else! Or else what? “You will be reporting to the BMV Violation Database! Yet another laugh-out-loud moment.

The impersonation scams are on the rise. They vary from fake Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) scams, police impersonation scams, Sheriff’s Office scams, city employee scams, Internal Revenue Service scams, and Social Security Administration scams. Let's not forget the numerous job scams, utility scams, investment scams, and claims involving Bitcoin and Cryptocurrency. Apple/PayPal Payment. Charity donations, computer tech support. Another favorite is the lottery/prize scam, as well as the 'Grandma' scams, where they claim to impersonate a grandchild needing bail money. What do we do with all these scams? Every time you get one, don’t click on any links. Open any attachments and be naturally suspicious of anything unsolicited.

Reporting scams—whether via text, email, or phone—is crucial in helping authorities shut down fraud and alerting others. Here are some resources. Here are the best official and trusted resources for reporting scams in the U.S.

Report Text Scams (Smishing) Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM):This works with most major carriers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, etc.). It helps them block the sender. FTC (Federal Trade Commission):ReportFraud.ftc.gov ; Select “Text Message” as the scam type. You can also describe what was said or sent.

Your Mobile Carrier’s Website: Some carriers allow online spam reporting. For example:

• AT&T: https://www.att.com/esupport/report-call-text.html

• Verizon: https://www.verizon.com/about/privacy/report-spam

Report Email Scams (Phishing)Forward to: phishing@report.phishing.gov – Official U.S. government phishing email inbox.

reportphishing@apwg.org – Anti-Phishing Working Group (widely used by tech and security firms).

FTC Report Portal: ReportFraud.ftc.gov Choose “Email Scam” or “Phishing” when prompted.

Email Provider Reporting:

• Gmail: Click the three dots → “Report phishing.”

• Outlook: Click “Junk” → “Phishing.”

• Yahoo: Use the “Spam” or “Report Phishing” option.

Report All Other Scams: Federal Trade Commission (FTC): ReportFraud.ftc.gov – This 

is the go-to for any scam, including identity theft, shopping fraud, fake tech support, IRS imposters, and more.

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3 – FBI): ic3.gov – For cybercrime, hacking, and financial losses. Ohio State Attorney General’s Office: You can report scams and business practices at www.OhioProtects.org. Save evidence before deleting. Take screenshots, copy the email headers (for phishing purposes), and record the phone numbers or email addresses used.

Remember the 9 PM routine! The 9 PM routine is a nightly reminder for residents to remove valuables from their vehicles, lock their vehicle doors, secure their residences, turn on exterior lights, and activate all alarms and security systems. 

That is all for this week! Please be safe and care for one another. 

I'll see you in church on Sunday!

Sgt. Marc Basye (Ret.)

Do you have a suggestion for the Tip of the Week? Your input is valuable to us. You can email me at Marcthecop@tippgazette.com!

The opinions and statements in this column are those of the author, who is not affiliated with any law enforcement agency. This column is for entertainment purposes only. Persons referred to may be fictional for comedic purposes only.