OKEECHOBEE — The Bible says, “There is nothing new under the sun,” and this includes scams and fraud.

Fifty years ago, crooks took garbage bags to search for identifying information so they could take the identity of someone else. Horse thieves have always found ways to rebrand horses after they took them. Even farther back in time, kings and authorities used to seal documents with a signet ring  to protect the information from prying eyes. Now, they find what they are looking for online. Often, we give them the information they need without thinking twice about it.

Most of the time, the scammer offers some sort of get-rich-quick scheme or a prize of some kind.

• Fake Publisher’s Clearing House.
• Unknown relatives leaving you money.
• Opportunity to double your money.

Sometimes, they threaten and scare victims into giving money.

• Arrest warrant with your name on it.
• Nude photos going to all your friends and family.
• Grandchild in jail and needs help.

Often, the scammer will try to trick victims into giving them the information they need to impersonate them, or they trick them into handing over money outright.

One of the easiest ways to spot a scam is when the person you are talking to says you have to act right now. They do not want you to take time to think about it or discuss it with anyone else. NEVER make a spur of the moment financial decision.

Two Okeechobee residents were not fooled by attempted scam artists last week.

One man told deputies he had been contacted through Facebook by a man named John Charles Hamilton. He said Hamilton told him he had to pay $2,000 by sending a $500 gift card. He was to pay the rest using Apple Gift cards. Once he purchased the cards and sent pictures to Hamilton, he would receive $100,000. The man found this to be suspicious and contacted law enforcement.

A second man said he was contacted by telephone by a man calling himself Peter Johnson. He said Johnson told him he won $25 million dollars, and if he supplied his banking information, the money would be transferred to his account. Finding this too good to be true, the man called law enforcement.

In both cases, no arrests were made because the scammers could not be identified.

The Federal Bureau of Investigations offers the following words of wisdom:

Fraudsters or scam artists will sometimes impersonate government officials to try to add credibility to their scheme. They also frequently target the elderly. We encourage members of the public to be alert for potential phone scams against themselves and their family members, which may include the following warning signs:

• Being told you have won a prize or sweepstakes, and need to take steps to receive it, such as sending money for taxes and insurance before receiving the prize.
• Being asked to provide or to confirm your Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers, or other personal or financial information.
• Use of scare tactics, such as claiming your loved one is in danger, or that you may be arrested if you do not take immediate action.
• Asking you to pay using money transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
• Pressure to act immediately.
• Promises to recover money you have lost in other scams, for a fee.
• Demanding that taxes be paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal the amount owed.

Those who receive these calls are encouraged to report them to the FTC via their website (https://reportfraud.ftc.gov) or by calling 877–FTC–HELP (877-382-4357). Fraud can also be reported to the FBI for law enforcement action at https://www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/report-fraud. In addition, please be cautious about providing any personal information (names, addresses, dates of birth, Social Security Numbers) to anyone who calls or emails you because it could result in identity theft.

Additional tips to ensure your security and safety:

• Never trust the caller ID number; the displayed telephone number can be manipulated with software.
• Always consider sending unsolicited phone calls to voicemail. Many scam call centers will not leave a message.
• Never click on links contained in unsolicited emails or text messages. The links may route you to fake websites or deploy malicious software.
• Protect your personal and financial information. Never provide this information in response to unsolicited text messages, emails or social media posts claiming to be a government agency.