(Douglas County, Colorado) Law enforcement agencies in Douglas County joined forces to spread awareness about scams targeting elderly residents in Press Conference.
Douglas County Sheriff Darren Weekly highlighted the arrest of 26-year-old Sagar Patel, who is accused of scamming a 79-year-old Highlands Ranch resident out of more than $120,000 worth of gold bars. The victim got the license plate number. DCSO Detective Oppeau tracked conducted a 7-month investigation, and through cell phone records, credit card records, surveillance cameras, and good old fashioned detective work, he was able to track down the suspect in New Jersey. He was arrested and extradited back to Colorado to face charges. Unfortunately, the gold bars were not recovered. It is important to note that the charges are merely allegations, and the suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty. We would like to thank the Jersey City Police Department who assisted with this arrest.
“These cases are extremely complex and it is often difficult to find the criminals. There is typically a 1% arrest rate. But we will not tolerate this in Douglas County. Criminals should take note that we CAN and we WILL track you down. At the same time, we need everyone to take this seriously. This happens daily. We need to make sure you don’t give out your personal information or money to strangers. We also need adults to watch out for your aging parents. They are vulnerable, the criminals know this, and we need your help to protect them.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, the Castle Rock Police Department, the Lone Tree Police Department, and the Parker Police Department are working together to educate the public about these types of scams, using the SCAM acronym:
SCAM stands for:
Stop!
Call a friend, family member, or law enforcement agency.
Ask them questions.
Make informed decisions, not based on pressure or emotions.
You will see us sharing more information on our social media channels to let people know what is happening.
“Anytime we take a report of someone being scammed out of their life’s earnings or prized possessions, it’s heartbreaking,” said Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley. “It takes all of us to protect our most vulnerable populations from becoming victims of scams. We encourage those of you with senior family members to reach out to them regularly, educate them about these common scams and as always, utilize those of us in the policing profession for help.”
“Let’s work together as a community to raise awareness about cryptocurrency scams as well as others to empower ourselves with knowledge and vigilance. By staying informed and taking proactive measures, we can safeguard against falling victim to these malicious schemes,” said Parker Chief of Police Jim Tsurapas.
“Have conversations with your kids, parents, spouses. It just takes one moment of bad judgement, and suddenly you are sucked into a fraudulent situation. The government is never going to text, email, or call you demanding that you go to a third-party vendor and exchange money for a debt or a warrant. That is never going to happen.”
Here are some simple tips to remember:
Scammers will push you to act fast. Trust your instincts. If they are rushing you, it’s likely a scam.
It’s likely a scam if they are asking you to pay in unfamiliar or odd ways (cryptocurrency, gold bars, gift cards, etc). Scammers do this to get your money fast.
If they ask you to keep it a secret or to not call law enforcement, HUGE RED FLAG.
NEVER give your personal information to someone who calls you.
NEVER call the number they give you.
If in doubt, ask. Call a friend, family member, or even law enforcement.
In addition, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office has a dedicated Senior Resource Deputy, Ryan Falkner. He holds classes on a regular basis to educate our seniors and is happy to take calls if you ever have doubts or questions about someone contacting you.