When shopping, if a stranger suddenly informs you that cash has fallen from your pocket, resist the urge to immediately bend down and pick it up, or accept the money they may offer you. The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is warning the public that this could be a scam technique known as the “drop money” theft.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, the LAPD Topanga Division released a video on social media last week, exposing how fraudsters use cash to divert shoppers’ attention, creating opportunities for theft.
The methods employed by these criminals typically follow a three-step process. The police video illustrates a scenario where a man approaches a customer at the checkout line, deliberately drops cash beside them, and then taps the customer while pointing to the money on the ground. This action is intended to mislead the consumer into believing that the cash is theirs, and the man then picks it up and hands it to them.
As soon as the customer accepts the cash and turns to leave, the man and an accomplice will follow them to the parking lot, asserting aggressively that the money actually belongs to them, thereby creating a sense of confusion.
During this chaos, the accomplice seizes the opportunity to rummage through the customer’s handbag or to gain access to any unlocked vehicles, stealing wallets and other valuables.
The police have provided several safety guidelines: When in line to check out, do not accept cash handed to you by strangers; after getting into your vehicle, be sure to lock the doors immediately; and if you encounter suspicious behavior from someone in the parking lot, stay inside your locked car and call 911.
In addition to setting traps in shopping venues, scammers are also extensively exploiting artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to perpetrate fraud.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) issued a warning to residents last Wednesday, highlighting that fraudsters are using AI to replicate voices and create realistic videos, impersonating victims’ friends and family members to trick them into transferring money.
For example, some victims have received phone calls featuring voices identical to that of their relatives, claiming they are in an emergency situation and need money immediately.
The police state that, although the voice may sound very familiar, the person on the other end of the line is likely to be a scammer. They recommend taking extra time to verify before taking action to avoid falling victim to such fraud.
Consequently, if you receive an unexpected or suspicious request for help, it is advisable to hang up and use a known phone number to contact the person directly for confirmation. Never rely solely on familiar voices or images when deciding to transfer funds or disclose personal information.
As technology evolves, so too do the tactics employed by fraudsters. One prevalent scheme involves impersonating police officers or government agencies, using “caller ID” to display official phone numbers.
The Burbank Police Department has recently received reports from the public regarding scammers posing as police personnel making calls to victims, with the calls appearing to originate from the department’s official number. These scammers generally claim that the victim is wanted or involved in a criminal case, insisting that they immediately purchase gift cards or send money via a money order to avoid arrest.
The police reiterated that authorities will never call to request individuals to purchase gift cards or use money orders to settle fines, nor will such methods be employed to address warrants or criminal cases.
Law enforcement advises that if you receive a suspicious call, you should hang up immediately, refrain from providing any personal or financial information, and do not call back. “If you are unsure of a call’s legitimacy, please directly call the official number of the Burbank Police Department to verify its authenticity.”