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Scam alerts for Winston-Salem and the Triad
Short, plain-language write-ups of scams that officials and local news have recently warned about in North Carolina and the Triad. Newest first. For step-by-step help with a specific scam, see the scam guides.
Calls from a "deputy" about missed jury duty, with a Bitcoin ATM payment
Callers are pretending to be sheriff's deputies or "Court Services" staff in the Triad. They say you missed jury duty or have a warrant, and that you can pay a fine now to clear it, usually by putting cash into a Bitcoin ATM. The Forsyth...
Before the holidays: "grandkid in trouble" calls that use AI to copy a loved one's voice
As families start traveling for the holidays, scammers call grandparents pretending to be a grandchild in a crisis: an arrest, a car accident, or bail money. What's new is that the voice on the line can sound exactly like your grandchild....
Holiday shipping season: fake "missed delivery" texts and unpaid toll texts
With holiday shopping starting, many of us are expecting packages. Scammers know that, and they send texts that look like they come from the Post Office, UPS, FedEx, or a toll agency like NC Quick Pass. The good news: both kinds of text...
Three scams making the rounds this fall: fake deed letters, Medicare calls, and voter texts
Here are three scams that local, state, and federal officials have warned about in the past few weeks. Each one has a simple way to check before you pay or share anything.