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Scam impersonates Utah attorney general, asks for money through Facebook messenger

Scam impersonates Utah attorney general, asks for money through Facebook messenger

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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah attorney general’s office is warning Utahns after some people reported a new scam that impersonates Utah Attorney General Sean D. Reyes, according to a news release from the office.

Victims of the scam were sent Facebook messages offering them grants worth thousands of dollars from an account pretending to be Reyes, according to the release.

However, the scammer said a “small fee” must be paid in order to receive the grant money, the news release stated. In addition, the victims were told they had to fill out a series of grant application questions from a phony personal page the scammer sent.

After the application was approved and victims sent the payment, the grant checks were given to each person. When victims tried to cash their checks, they bounced but, as the news release stated, “by then the scammer had disappeared along with the victim’s money.”

A different victim told the office the scammer gave them a phone number to contact Reyes further about the grants. That person contacted the office because they were concerned it was fraudulent and the office confirmed that neither Reyes nor the office was involved with the situation and it was a scheme.

The attorney general’s office also provided advice for recognizing fraud.

Real lotteries, grants or other prizes don’t ask for money, not even for shipping, taxes or customs — and state officials and agencies will likely never ask people to send money for “prizes, grants unpaid loans, or to avoid being thrown in jail,” the news release stated.

In cases when state agencies do ask for money, it is done through a formalized process.

A good rule of thumb is to not wire money to strangers, the news release stated.

Secondly, it’s usually a good idea to check the reputation of the business or entity asking for money or personal information via phone or online, the office advised.

“Technology makes it easy for scammers to alter their identity and assume someone else’s,” the news release stated.

People can also check with the Utah Consumer Protection Division and the Utah Better Business Bureau to see if a person or organization is credible, according to the attorney general’s office.

Even if the call seems legitimate, people should always contact the entity directly and should never give out their personal information including banking information, birthday or social security number.

The Utah Attorney General’s Office is asking anyone who receives a message, call or email from someone claiming to be from their office or any other official, to contact their office at 801-281-1200, or uag@uagutah.gov, to report and verify whether it is real.

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Lauren Bennett is a reporter with KSL.com who covers Utah’s religious community and the growing tech sector in the Beehive State.

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