S S >>> MANY OF US HAVE BEEN CALLED ABOUT OUR CAR'S EXTENDED WARRANTY, OR MAYBE YOU GET STRANGE E-MAILS PROMISING YOU THINGS THAT SEEM TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

SCAMS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOREVER BUT THEY'VE BECOME MORE SOPHISTICATED IN THE DIGITAL AGE.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK WITH THE EXPERTS WHO DEAL WITH THIS TYPE OF FRAUD TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND HOW TO NOT BECOME A VICTIM.

THAT'S TONIGHT ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

S S >> THANKS FOR JOINING US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

I'M NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS DIRECTOR DENNIS KELLOGG.

THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION REPORTS AMERICANS LOSE BILLIONS DUE TO FRAUD EVERY YEAR.

THAT INCLUDES THINGS LIKE ELDER FRAUD, CREDIT CARDS, PHONY EMPLOYMENT, AND FAKE DATING.

SCAMMING IS EVERYWHERE IN TODAY'S WORLD.

NEBRASKA IS NO EXCEPTION.

ARTIST CINDY CHINN LIVES IN THE SMALL VILLAGE OF CHESTER IN THE SOUTH CENTRAL PART OF THE STATE.

SHE AND A BUSINESS PARTNER SELL ART ON THE WEB.

AND THAT ART HAS BEEN THE TARGET OF SCAMMERS.

>> I'M CINDY CHINN.

I LIVE IN CHESTER, NEBRASKA.

AND I'M KNOWN AS THE SAW LADY.

I DECIDED TO BUY A PLASMA TORCH AND WHEN I BOUGHT THE TORCH, I THOUGHT, OH, I SHOULD CUT SOME METAL UP AND SEE WHAT I CAN DO WITH THIS THING.

AND I CUT EVERYTHING UP THAT WE HAD.

ANYTHING METAL I HAD ON THE PROPERTY I CUT UP.

WE WERE AT A YARD SALE AND ART FOUND SOME SAWS, AND HE SAID, HEY, HOW ABOUT CUTTING DESIGNS IN SAWS?"

AND I'M LIKE, "AH, I DON'T KNOW, I CAN TRY THAT."

AND TWO MONTHS LATER, I WAS THE SAW LADY.

I STARTED DRAWING DESIGNS ON THEM.

AND THEN THINKING, YOU KNOW, WHAT -- WHAT WOULD LOOK GOOD ON A SAW?

I STARTED WITH A LOT OF NATURE SCENES, COWBOY STUFF, WESTERN ART, AND I CUT THAT OUT WITH A TORCH, AND THEY JUST KIND OF TOOK OFF.

AND IN MAY, I STARTED SEEING ADVERTISEMENTS FOR USING MY PHOTOS OF MY DESIGNS, MY SAWS, ON FACEBOOK AND GOOGLE, AND FROM COMPANIES I HAD NO IDEA WHO THEY WERE, WHERE THEY CAME FROM.

AND AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, WE FOUND OUT THAT THESE COMPANIES WERE FROM CHINA, AND THEY HAD STOLEN ALL MY PICTURES AND MY IDENTITY AND MY DESIGNS AND WERE USING ACTUAL VIDEO OF ME ON THEIR WEBSITES AND IN THEIR ADS TO SCAM PEOPLE WITH MY PRODUCT.

>> IT JUST TURNED INTO JUST AN OVERWHELMING NIGHTMARE OF TRYING TO PUT OUT THESE FIRES, AND THEY'RE STILL GOING TO THIS DAY.

I MEAN, HERE WE ARE NINE MONTHS LATER, AND IT'S SLOWED DOWN.

BUT WE JUST DON'T HAVE THE TIME TO KEEP PURSUING IT EVERY DAY.

BUT JUST HOW WIDESPREAD IT WAS, IT WAS JUST BEYOND BELIEF AT THE TIME.

AND WE'RE ALWAYS WORRIED THAT IT'S GONNA TAKE OFF AGAIN, MAYBE, YOU KNOW, FOR CHRISTMAS.

THESE WILL BE OH, SPECIAL CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR DADS SORT OF THING, OR MAYBE NEXT FATHER'S DAY, WHICH IS WHEN THIS HIT THIS YEAR.

MAYBE NEXT FATHER'S DAY, IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN ALL OVER AGAIN.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE CAN LET OUR GUARD DOWN.

BUT IT'S SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE TO WORK BETWEEN OURSELVES AND FIGURE OKAY, HOW MUCH TIME WE CAN REALLY DEVOTE TO THIS AND NOT HAVE IT CONSUME US?

>> CREATING THE ARTWORK FOR THE ORDERS, TO TRACKING THE ORDERS, TO FIGHTING THE SCAMMERS, TO GET THE ADS TAKEN DOWN, TO STOP THE ORDERS FROM COMING IN, AND IT WAS JUST ALL-CONSUMING FOR MONTHS.

IT SLOWED DOWN BECAUSE WE'VE GOTTEN ALL OF THE ADS STOPPED ON FACEBOOK, AND THAT TOOK ABOUT TWO MONTHS.

AND A LOT OF PEOPLE -- A LOT OF PEOPLE HELPED US DO THAT.

S S >> JOINING US NOW, CHRISTOPHER BREST, A SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT WITH THE FBI, SPECIALIZING IN WHITE-COLLAR CRIME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, CHRIS.

AND JIM HEGARTY, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU IN NEBRASKA, SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST IOWA.

THANK YOU AS WELL FOR BEING WITH US ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

>> HEY, MY PLEASURE.

>> WE SAW THE STORY OF CINDY CHINN OF CHESTER AND HER ARTWORK ONLINE BEING TARGETED BY SCAMMERS.

IF YOU SENT MONEY TO THESE CRIMINALS, IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE, YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO GET SOME KIND OF CHEAP KNOCKOFF PRODUCT OR NOT GOING TO GET ANYTHING AT ALL.

HOW COMMON IS THAT?

>> UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN CHRIS AND I WATCHED THIS, YOU DIDN'T SEE OUR BLOOD PRESSURE GO UP OR ANYTHING BECAUSE WE SEE IT ALL THE TIME.

IT IS SO COMMON, AND THE THING THAT WE NOTICED ABOUT THE PIECE IS THAT THESE BUSINESS OWNERS ARE REALLY TO BE COMMENDED FOR THE WORK THAT THEY'VE DONE TO TRY TO GET SOME OF THE SITES SHUT DOWN BECAUSE IT'S VERY DIFFICULT AND ALMOST EVERY MAJOR RETAILER IN AMERICA FACES THIS, WHERE THEY'VE GOT CRIME GANGS, CRIMINALS STEALING IMAGES OF THEIR PRODUCTS, THEIR SERVICES, CREATING THESE ILLUSIONARY WEBSITES AND THEN GETTING THEM OUT THERE.

THEY'VE GOT -- THEY'RE WELL FUNDED, AND MANY CASES EXTREMELY WELL FUNDED, PRETTY SOPHISTICATED SO THEY DO A LOT TO BOOST THEIR PRESENCE ON FACEBOOK OR AMAZON OR WHEREVER IT MIGHT BE, SO THEY DRAW A LOT OF TRAFFIC.

AND THEY DRAW AN AWFUL LOT OF PEOPLE IN, AND IT'S TOUGH TO GET THEM SHUT DOWN SO I THINK THAT YOU KNOW FOR THOSE THAT ARE WATCHING, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT DON'T COUNT ON US BEING ABLE TO GET ALL OF THAT STUFF SHUT DOWN.

REALLY THIS IS ABOUT BEING MORE AWARE, MORE INFORMED, AND UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH AND BEING A BIT MORE DILIGENT ABOUT THE SITES THAT YOU'RE BUYING PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ON.

>> CHRIS, YOU DEAL A LOT WITH WHITE COLLAR CRIME, THINGS LIKE PONZI SCHEMES, TO IDENTITY THEFT.

ARE WE SEEING MORE SCAMS IN NEBRASKA COMPARED WITH PAST YEARS?

>> SO, THERE IS DEFINITELY A TREND UPWARD IN THE FRAUDS AND THE SCAMS.

THE FBI DOES A LOT OF STUDIES BASED ON THE TRENDS FOR THESE TYPES OF CRIMES AND A LOT OF THE DATA WE PULL COMES FROM THE INTERNET CRIME COMPLAINT CENTER, OR IC3.

IT'S NOT ONLY A HUB FOR RECEIVING TIPS ON SCAMS AND FRAUDS, BUT THAT IS THE BEST RESOURCE WE HAVE TO KIND OF JUDGE WHERE THE TRENDS OF THOSE KINDS OF CRIMES.

OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN OVER 2 MILLION COMPLAINTS AND 960 - I'M SORRY, $13 BILLION IN LOSS.

I WOULD SAY NEBRASKA IS NOT IN THE TOP TEN OF VICTIMS OR LOSSES, BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY A TREND GOING THAT WAY.

2020, NEBRASKA SAW ABOUT 2000 -- A LITTLE OVER 2000 COMPLAINTS, AND OVER $4 BILLION IN LOSS.

>> WOW.

AND SO, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.

WE'RE DEALING WITH COVID, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE -- MORE PEOPLE AT HOME, MORE PEOPLE ARE ONLINE, ON THEIR COMPUTERS.

WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT, I'LL START WITH YOU CHRIS, WHAT HAS BEEN THE IMPACT OF COVID ON SCAMMING?

>> THAT'S JUST IT.

WITH THE FACT THAT EVERYBODY IS HOME, EVERYBODY IS TURNING MORE TOWARDS THE INTERNET AND NETWORKING THROUGH A SOCIAL-DISTANCED ENVIRONMENT, THAT'S REALLY DRIVEN THE ABILITY TO SCAM OR DEFRAUD INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE IT'S A MUCH MORE IMPERSONAL SETTING AND THERE'S FEWER FACE-TO-FACE CONTACTS SO IT GIVES A LITTLE BIT MORE TRUST TO INDIVIDUALS THAT MAYBE YOU DON'T NECESSARILY SEE EVERY DAY.

>> JIM, OBVIOUSLY AS WE MENTIONED MORE PEOPLE ARE ONLINE, BUT WE HAVE THE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SEASON COMING UP AND THAT MEANS WE'RE GOING TO HAVE EVEN MORE PEOPLE ONLINE.

WHAT'S THE OUTLOOK?

ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT'S AHEAD?

>> YEAH, WE'RE SUPER CONCERNED.

SO, WE GOT BIG SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

I MEAN, IF YOU WATCH THE NEWS, YOU KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING ON.

IF YOU HAVE BEEN VISITING ANY OF YOUR BIG BOX STORES, GROCERY STORES, YOU'RE SEEING SOME EMPTY SHELVES, SOME THINGS THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO GET.

WE DON'T ANTICIPATE THAT THAT'S GOING TO LOOSEN UP A LOT BETWEEN NOW AND THE HOLIDAY SEASON SO I THINK IT CREATES ANOTHER KIND OF FERTILE GROUND FOR THESE CRIME GANGS TO AGAIN CREATE SITES THAT CREATE THE ILLUSION THAT THEY HAVE PRODUCTS, THAT YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO FIND AT THE TYPICAL SITES YOU'D THINK YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO FIND THEM AT OR THINGS THAT YOU CAN'T FIND AT THE NORMAL RETAILER YOU MIGHT SHOP AT SO IT'S ABSOLUTELY -- LIKE A PERFECT STORM FOR THESE GUYS.

AND IT'S REALLY THE WAY THAT IT'S BEEN ALL THROUGH COVID.

AND IT'S BEEN ROUGH ON ALL OF US.

ALL OF US HAVE OUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES WITH LOSS.

I MEAN, IT HASN'T BEEN FUN TO BE MASKED UP.

IT HASN'T BEEN FUN TO BE ISOLATED AT HOME, TO NOT BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE OFFICE.

AND HONESTLY, THE PILING ON, THAT THESE CRIMINALS HAVE DONE DURING SUCH A ROUGH TIME, IT'S DISHEARTENING, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I THINK CHRIS WOULD AGREE NOT SURPRISING TO US AT ALL.

IT SEEMS TO BE -- IT'S RIGHT IN LINE WITH EVERY NATIONAL DISASTER THAT WE SEE, WE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY SEE THESE CRIME GANGS MOVING IN AND TRYING TO LEVERAGE THAT TO GET INTO THE AMERICAN POCKETBOOK AND IT IS DISAPPOINTING, DISHEARTENING, BUT REALLY OUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE IS DOING THIS.

IT'S GETTING INFORMATION INTO PEOPLE'S HANDS THAT HELP THEM BE MORE INFORMED ABOUT THE WAY THEY MANAGE THEMSELVES, AND PARTICULARLY NOW ONLINE, I MEAN, THAT IS A SCARY LANDSCAPE OUT THERE SO YOU'VE GOT TO BE EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS.

>> ACCORDING TO THE NEBRASKA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, THE TOP FIVE SCAMS IN NEBRASKA LAST YEAR INCLUDE IMPOSTER SCAMS, IDENTITY THEFT, HOME REPAIR SCAMS, HEALTHCARE SCAMS, AND AUTO-RELATED COMPLAINTS.

I KNOW YOU TWO DON'T SPECIFICALLY WORK WITH ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF SCAMS AND FRAUD, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING -- CHRIS I'LL ASK YOU -- IS THERE ANYTHING YOU SEE WHEN IT COMES TO NEBRASKA THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS GOING ON IN OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY?

ANYTHING UNIQUE HERE?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S ANYTHING UNIQUE TO NEBRASKA, BUT I WILL SAY THE MOST CONCERNING FRAUD THAT WE'RE SEEING IS THE IMPOSTER SCAMS, WHETHER IT'S ELDER FRAUD OR THE ROMANCE SCAMS, ANY OF THE FRAUDS WHERE AN INDIVIDUAL IS BEING CONTACTED BY SOMEONE OVER THE INTERNET OR OVER THE PHONE TO EXPLAIN A CONCERN THAT THEY'VE GOT, OR SOME EXIGENT CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE THEY NEED MONEY IMMEDIATELY AND THE INDIVIDUAL SENDS MONEY IN A - IN A MEANS THAT WE CAN'T RECOVER IT, IS REALLY A CONCERN FOR US, RIGHT NOW.

>> HOW OFTEN ARE YOU ABLE TO RECOVER MONEY ONCE IT'S LOST?

>> IT REALLY DEPENDS ON HOW IT'S SENT.

IF AN INDIVIDUAL SENDS MONEY THROUGH A BANK ACCOUNT, THROUGH TRADITIONAL BANK WIRES, AND WE'RE NOTIFIED WITHIN 72 HOURS, WE HAVE A VERY HIGH SUCCESS RATE OF RETURNING THAT MONEY.

THE CONCERN THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS -- HAS MOVED FROM INDIVIDUALS SENDING BOXES OF CASH TO AN ADDRESS WHICH WE HAVE ZERO CHANCE EFFECTIVELY OF GETTING THAT MONEY BACK, BUT WE HAVE MOVED FROM THAT TO VIRTUAL CURRENCY, WHERE INDIVIDUALS ARE BUYING BITCOIN OR SOME OTHER FORM OF VIRTUAL CURRENCY AND SENDING THAT TO A WALLET AND THEN THAT GETS MOVED AROUND IN SO MANY DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS, AND WE HAVE A LIMITED - THERE'S A LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS TO RETURN THAT MONEY.

>> JIM IF YOU'VE BEEN THE VICTIM OF A SCAM, OF A FRAUD, WHAT'S THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO?

>> WELL, YOU SHOULD CERTAINLY REPORT IT, RIGHT?

SO DON'T KEEP IT TO YOURSELF AND THERE IS A TENDENCY TO DO THAT, PARTICULARLY IF THE LOSSES ARE SIGNIFICANT.

PEOPLE ARE EMBARRASSED ABOUT THAT.

THEY OBVIOUSLY HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT MAKING IT PUBLIC.

>> HOW MUCH OF THAT GOES UNREPORTED THEN?

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA ABOUT THE NUMBER OF UNREPORTED FRAUD AND SCAMS?

>> WAY, WAY TOO MUCH.

WE KNOW THAT -- WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A MASSIVE AMOUNT OF UNREPORTED SCAMS, PARTICULARLY I THINK WITH THE OLDER POPULATION, WHEN THEY HAVE BEEN TAKEN IN BY THESE CRIMINALS THAT SOCIALLY ENGINEER THEM OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN SOAK THEM FOR BIG LOSSES, IT'S VERY, VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT.

THEY HAVE FEAR OBVIOUSLY IF THEY TELL THEIR LOVED ONES THEY'VE DONE THIS, THAT MAYBE THEIR MIGHT BE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR ABILITY TO MANAGE THEIR OWN AFFAIRS SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF DYNAMICS.

THE CRIMINALS KNOW THIS, RIGHT?

THEY KNOW THAT PARTICULARLY WITH ELDER FRAUD, THEY'RE DEALING WITH A VERY VULNERABLE AUDIENCE AND THEY PREY UPON THAT.

SO, SO MANY PHISHING EXPEDITIONS WITH SENIORS, THE CALLS FROM THE IMPOSTER SCAMS WHERE, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE CLAIMING TO BE ONE OF THEIR ADULT GRANDCHILDREN IN TROUBLE IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY ON SPRING BREAK.

THEY'VE BEEN ARRESTED, AND THEY NEED MONEY TO GET OUT OF JAIL.

AND AGAIN, A LOT OF SENIORS KNOW BETTER, THEY JUST WILL HANG UP THE PHONE WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SHOULD DO AND TRY TO REACH YOUR GRANDCHILD OR THEIR PARENTS TO FIND OUT IF THEY ARE INDEED OUT OF THE COUNTRY OR OUT OF THE CITY.

BUT A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE - THEY'RE COGNITIVELY COMPROMISED IN SOME WAY, AND THEY FALL VICTIMS TO THESE TRAPS.

SO, REPORT IT.

BBB SCAM TRACKER IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO QUICKLY GOOGLE, BBB SCAM TRACKER AND YOU CAN REPORT THIS.

WE KEEP TRACK OF ALL OF THAT INFORMATION.

WE SHARE THAT IN A PRODUCT CALLED CONSUMER SENTINEL SO THAT THE FBI, ALL THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITIES HAVE ACCESS TO THAT DATA.

I MEAN, WE'RE ALL TRYING TO WORK TOGETHER COLLECTIVELY TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION INTO THE CONSUMING PUBLIC'S HANDS AS WE CAN.

BUT AGAIN, IT'S VERY CHALLENGING FOR US TO SLOW DOWN THE PERPETRATORS.

>> CHRIS, I KNOW YOU WORK A LOT WITH ELDER FRAUD, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT OVER -- ONE ESTIMATE HAD OVER $3 BILLION IN LOSSES ANNUALLY, JUST WITH SENIOR CITIZENS IN THIS ELDER FRAUD.

CAN YOU TELL US MORE SPECIFICALLY ABOUT WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND THE KINDS OF THINGS YOU DEAL WITH?

>> SURE.

LIKE JIM SAID, I THINK THAT THERE IS A REAL HESITANCY TO REPORT WHEN THIS IS HAPPENED.

I DON'T -- YOU KNOW THERE IS SOME EMBARRASSMENT LEVEL OF BEING DEFRAUDED OR CAUGHT UP IN A SCAM, AS WELL AS ALL THE OTHER EXAMPLES HE GAVE BUT WHAT WE SEE A LOT OF IS THE ROMANCE SCAMS, THE INDIVIDUALS REACHING OUT TO THE 60 AND OVER POPULATION AND DEVELOPING SOME TYPE OF MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIP OVER E-MAIL OR PHONE AND THESE INDIVIDUALS HAVE NEVER MET IN THE REAL WORLD AND THAT TURNS INTO A SITUATION WHERE THEY'RE TUGGING AT THE HEARTSTRINGS OF THE INDIVIDUAL THAT'S BEING SCAMMED.

AND ASKING FOR MONEY, WHETHER IT'S SOMEBODY IN JAIL AND NEEDS HELP BAILING OUT, OR YOU KNOW WE'VE HAD CASES WHERE THEY SAY THAT THEY'RE GOING TO BE MURDERED IF THIS MONEY ISN'T PROVIDED TO THEIR KIDNAPPERS IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY, SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT BUT IT GENERALLY RELATES TO THE SUBJECT, THE SCAMMER, TUGGING AT THE HEARTSTRINGS OF THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS REALLY JUST LOOKING FOR SOME TYPE OF RELATIONSHIP WITH THE INDIVIDUAL ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE.

>> JIM, THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU RELEASED A LENGTHY REPORT LAST MONTH ABOUT EFFORTS TO TARGET JOB SEEKERS, AN ESTIMATED 14 MILLION PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO EMPLOYMENT SCAMS EVERY YEAR, WITH $2 BILLION IN DIRECT LOSSES.

THOSE ARE MASSIVE NUMBERS.

TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THIS REPORT, WHAT YOU FOUND AS YOU ARE LOOKING INTO THIS EMPLOYMENT FRAUD.

>> WELL, I THINK THE IMPORTANT POINT IS, IS THAT THAT $2 BILLION, THE $14 MILLION, THAT'S NOT LIKE A COLLECTIVE NUMBER.

THAT IS JUST A YEAR, RIGHT, SO LIKE YOU SAID, THAT IS A MASSIVE NUMBER AND ESSENTIALLY THIS IS AGAIN IT'S CRIME GANGS, CREATING, YOU KNOW, FAKE JOB LISTINGS ON WELL-KNOWN SITES THAT PEOPLE ARE VISITING REGULARLY, LOOKING FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND THEY'RE PULLING THEM IN.

THEY'RE CREATING THESE ILLUSIONS THAT THEY HAVE JOBS THAT ARE AVAILABLE.

THEY GO THROUGH INTERVIEW PROCESSES ONLINE IN THOSE INTERVIEW PROCESSES THEY COLLECT A LOT OF PERSONAL INFORMATION FROM THESE INDIVIDUALS.

JUST AS YOU WOULD WHEN YOU'RE FILLING OUT A JOB APPLICATION YOU MAY BE GIVING YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY INFORMATION, YOUR AGE, YOUR DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER, AND ALL OF THAT INFORMATION IS USED THEN TO STEAL THESE PEOPLE'S IDENTITY, SO NOT ONLY DO THEY ULTIMATELY FIND OUT THERE WAS NOT A JOB, THEY'VE COUGHED UP ALL OF THIS SENSITIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THEMSELVES.

BUT MANY OF THESE PEOPLE ARE HIRED AND THEY'RE HIRED TO DO ILLEGAL WORK.

I THINK 65% OF THESE JOB SCAM ISSUES WERE RELATED TO RESHIPPING SCAMS AND THESE ARE INSTANCES IN WHICH CRIMINALS OFTEN OFFSHORE ARE USING STOLEN CREDIT CARDS TO BUY EXPENSIVE ELECTRONIC DEVICES HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, TYPICALLY THE RETAILERS WILL NOT SHIP THEM OVERSEAS, SO THEY NEED A THIRD PARTY, A MULE.

SO, THEY HIRE THESE MULES TO BE RE-SHIPPERS FOR THEM.

THEY BUY THE PRODUCT.

THEY HAVE IT SHIPPED TO THOSE PEOPLE'S ADDRESSES AND THEN THEY RESHIP IT TO THE UKRAINE OR TO WHEREVER THE CRIMINALS MIGHT RESIDE.

AND I THINK THAT WE DISCOVERED LAST YEAR THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF 1.6 MILLION STOLEN CREDIT CARDS WERE USED TO BUY SOMEWHERE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF $2 BILLION WORTH OF GOODS THAT WERE RESHIPPED BY THESE MULES WHO BELIEVED THAT THEY'RE WORKING FOR LEGITIMATE INTERNATIONAL ENTITIES, BUT THEY'RE ACTUALLY COMPLICIT IN CRIMES.

>> AND CHRIS, WHETHER IT'S EMPLOYMENT FRAUD OR OTHER TYPES OF FRAUD, ONE THING THAT I NOTICED IS A LOT OF THE VICTIMS ARE 34 YEARS AND YOUNGER AS FAR AS THEIR AGE.

YOU THINK ABOUT THIS IS AN OLDER PROBLEM, A PROBLEM FOR GRANDMA AND GRANDPA BUT IT'S EVEN THE YOUNGER PEOPLE ARE BEING TARGETED BY SOME OF THIS.

>> I THINK THAT A LOT OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS, RIGHT, WE ARE MUCH MORE A GLOBAL COMMUNITY WITH THE PREVALENCE OF THE INTERNET AND EVERYTHING IN YOUR HOME BEING CONNECTED TO SOME TYPE OF INTERNET ACCESS SO I THINK THAT THERE IS A LOT TO -- YES, THE ELDER FRAUD IS A CONCERN, BUT JUST THE AMOUNT OF PRESENCE THAT EVERYONE HAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR ON THE INTERNET REALLY LENDS ITSELF TO VULNERABILITIES.

>> SO, WHAT ARE THE RED FLAGS, JIM, THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD LOOK AT WHEN THEY'RE -- I GOT THIS GREAT OFFER IN FRONT OF ME.

WHAT ARE THE FLAGS YOU SHOULD BE CONSIDERING BEFORE YOU GET OUT YOUR CREDIT CARD AND GO FOR IT?

>> WELL, WHO IS THIS COMPANY, FIRST OF ALL?

DO SOME RESEARCH.

IF IT'S AN OBSCURE NAME YOU'VE NOT HEARD OF THEM, YOU WANT TO CHECK THEM OUT, MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN FIND THEM IN A WAY THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN DIRECTED TO FIND THEM BY THEM.

SO DON'T CALL A NUMBER THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED.

DON'T USE A URL THAT THEY'VE PROVIDED.

DO INDEPENDENT RESEARCH.

AND IT'S A GREAT IDEA TO CONTACT US, REACH OUT TO US, LET US KNOW, THAT YOU'RE CONSIDERING THIS WORK FROM HOME OPPORTUNITY, AND LISTEN, IF IT INVOLVES RESHIPPING GOODS, RIGHT, IF THAT IS THE JOB THAT YOU ARE BEING HIRED TO DO, THAT IS LIKE A MASSIVE RED FLAG.

IT'S LIKE THE TIP OFF TO THE RIP OFF THAT YOU MAY BE FALLING INTO ONE OF THESE RESHIPPING SCHEMES.

AND THE OTHER THING IS IF THE OFFER JUST SORT OF SEEMS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, SO SUDDENLY YOU CAN'T FIND A JOB BUT NOW YOU CAN FIND A JOB WHERE YOU'VE BEEN ACCEPTED, ALMOST INSTANTLY, AND YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAID $2,500 A WEEK OR $2,500 EVERY TWO WEEKS, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SHOULD JUST BE THINKING ABOUT SO, YOU KNOW, TAKE A MOMENT AND ASK YOURSELF IS -- DOES SOMETHING NOT SMELL RIGHT WITH THIS?

AND THEN GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP YOU SORT OUT THE OFFER TO DETERMINE WHETHER IT'S COMING FROM A LEGITIMATE ENTITY OR NOT.

>> AND CHRIS, HOW MUCH DOES THE DARK WEB AND SOME OF THOSE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS PLAY INTO WHAT WE'RE SEEING HERE IN NEBRASKA?

>> YOU KNOW, THE DARK WEB HAS A LOT OF BAD STUFF ON THAT.

THERE IS A LOT OF IDENTITIES SOLD THROUGH THOSE WEBSITES AND THOSE MARKETPLACES BUT I THINK MORE OF THE PROBLEM THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW STEMS FROM JUST A TRUSTING INDIVIDUAL THAT IS WILLING TO STRIKE UP A CONVERSATION AND LOOK FOR THAT COMPANIONSHIP ON THE OTHER END OF THE PHONE OR THE OTHER END OF THE KEYBOARD.

IT REALLY JUST GIVES THE INFORMATION AWAY, SO IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE STOLEN.

>> JUST HAVE ABOUT 90 SECONDS LEFT, JIM, WE HEAR ABOUT HAVING PEOPLE CALL THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU TO REPORT BUSINESSES THEY DON'T THINK ARE ACTING HONORABLY.

IS THERE A REVERSE PROCESS WHERE IF A BUSINESS FEELS IT HAS DONE WHAT'S RIGHT, AND SOMEBODY IS WRONG IN THEIR REPORT, DO THEY HAVE A WAY TO GO BACK AND SAY HEY, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T DO THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

YEAH, WE INVESTIGATE EVERYTHING SO IF A COMPLAINT COMES IN, IF AN ISSUE IS RAISED ABOUT A BUSINESS OR THEIR PRACTICES, THEIR PRODUCTS, THEIR SERVICES, WE DON'T JUST LOOK AT THAT AND YOU KNOW TAKE WHOEVER IS PROVIDING THAT INFORMATION'S WORD FOR IT.

WE DIG IN, CONTACT THE COMPANY, AND CLEARLY, IF A COMPANY HAS ANY CONCERNS ABOUT THEIR NAME BEING MISUSED, THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICES BEING MISREPRESENTED, WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT SO THAT WE CAN HELP THEM GET IT STRAIGHTENED OUT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

>> CHRIS, JUST 20 SECONDS OR SO, IN YOUR MIND ARE WE WINNING THE WAR AGAINST SCAMMERS?

>> YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT WE ARE.

THE NUMBERS SHOW A TREND UP BUT I THINK THAT WE'RE DOING A GOOD JOB OF MESSAGING THE CONCERNS BEHIND SCAMS AND WE'RE HAVING A LOT OF SUCCESS WITH PEOPLE REPORTING THESE TO IC3.GOV, AS WELL, AND THAT IS SHOWING US SOME NUMBERS AND SOME SUCCESSES.

>> WE'LL GO AHEAD AND SHOW THAT.

IF YOU DO WANT TO REPORT A SCAM, THERE IS A WAY TO DO IT THROUGH THE NEBRASKA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, ALSO THROUGH THE FBI AND THROUGH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, AS WELL.

JUST GO TO THOSE WEBSITES YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN.

CHRIS BREST, THE SUPERVISORY SPECIAL AGENT OF WHITE COLLAR CRIME WITH THE FBI IN OMAHA, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US >> THANK YOU.

>> AND ALSO, JIM HEGARTY, THE CEO AND PRESIDENT OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US, AS WELL.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY PLEASURE.

>> IF YOU MISSED THOSE WEBSITES, THAT WE SHOWED YOU TO REPORT A SCAM, YOU CAN FIND THEM ON OUR WEBSITE ALONG WITH THIS INTERVIEW, JUST GO TO NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA AND JOIN THE CONVERSATION ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER AT NEBRASKA PUBLIC MEDIA NEWS.

S S >> COVID-19 CASES ARE HEADED DOWN ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, AND NEBRASKA IS SLOWLY FOLLOWING SUIT.

DR. MARK RUPP, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT FROM THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER, JOINS US VIA ZOOM TO TALK ABOUT THE LATEST.

DR. RUPP, THANKS FOR BEING HERE WITH US.

>> THANKS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN YOU.

>> CASES IN NEBRASKA, FOR THE MOST PART, ARE HEADED DOWN.

THE CDC DATA SHOWS CASES ARE DOWN 3.5% OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS, FOLLOWING A LITTLE BIT OF A BUMP EARLIER THIS WEEK.

HOSPITALS, THOUGH, ARE STILL FEELING THE STRAIN, SO WHAT'S YOUR TAKE?

HOW ARE WE DOING RIGHT NOW BATTLING THIS PANDEMIC?

>> WELL, SO EVER SLOWLY THE CASES DO SEEM TO BE TRICKLING DOWNWARD.

I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED WITH SOME PROBLEMS WITH CASE ASCERTAINMENT BECAUSE I THINK IN SOME PARTS OF THE STATE, GETTING TESTED IS NOT AS EASY AS IT SHOULD BE AND I CERTAINLY ANECDOTALLY HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE NOT PRESENTING FOR TESTING DESPITE BEING SYMPTOMATIC BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PUT INTO QUARANTINE OR DON'T WANT THEIR KIDS SENT HOME FROM SCHOOL OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

SO, I DON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME LOOKING AT THE CASES, ALTHOUGH YOU KNOW AGAIN, THAT'S AN IMPORTANT AND DECREASING VALUE.

WHAT I DO THINK IS MAYBE A BETTER REFLECTION OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE STATE, ALBEIT A LAGGING INDICATOR, IS AS YOU POINTED OUT THE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND THOSE ARE JUST EVER SO SLOWLY TRICKLING DOWNWARD BUT THEY'RE HARD TO FAKE.

WHEN YOU'RE SICK ENOUGH TO COME INTO THE HOSPITAL, WE GENERALLY TAKE NOTICE AND WE COUNT THOSE NUMBERS, SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT WE'RE NOT OUT OF THIS YET, AND PEOPLE DO NEED TO BE CONCERNED AND THEY NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE CAREFUL.

>> SOME OF THE BIGGEST NEWS THIS WEEK, AN FDA ADVISORY COMMITTEE HAS APPROVED A SMALLER DOSE OF THE PFIZER VACCINE FOR CHILDREN 5-11 YEARS OLD.

WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR PARENTS WHO ARE TRYING TO MAKE THAT DECISION, SHOULD I GET MY CHILD VACCINATED OR NOT?

>> WELL, THIS IS AN OPTIMISTIC FINDING.

AGAIN, THE FDA HAS DONE A CAREFUL JOB WITH EVALUATING THE DATA AND THE INFORMATION, AND YOU KNOW, THE ASSESSMENT IS THAT THE VACCINE IS SAFE, AS WELL AS EFFECTIVE SO THE DATA THAT HAS BEEN SHARED IS THAT IT'S OVER 90% EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING ILLNESS, AND THE SIDE EFFECT PROFILE AND ADVERSE EVENTS ARE VERY ACCEPTABLE.

THERE IS NO VACCINE THAT IS 100% SAFE, BUT THE DATA DOES INDICATE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE MUCH BETTER OFF GETTING THE VACCINE THAN GETTING THE DISEASE.

THIS IS GOOD NEWS AND IT GIVES PARENTS WHO WANT TO PROTECT THEIR CHILDREN A REALLY, REALLY POWERFUL TOOL TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T GET COVID, AND DON'T SUFFER FROM SOME OF THOSE CONSEQUENCES OF COVID.

YOU KNOW WHAT, A LOT OF PARENTS LOOKS TOWARDS IS KIDS TYPICALLY DON'T GET AS SICK AS ADULTS AND THAT'S ABSOLUTELY TRUE, BUT SOME DO AND SOME GET SICK AND GET IN THE HOSPITAL AND EVEN HAVE PEDIATRIC DEATHS.

THERE IS ALSO INDICATORS THAT KIDS CAN GET THE LONG COVID SYMPTOMS, AND THAT CAN REALLY PREVENT THEM FROM GETTING BACK TO SCHOOL AND CARRYING ON WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENT SO I THINK THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR PARENTS.

IT GIVES THEM A STRONG TOOL TO PROTECT THEIR KIDS.

>> WE JUST HAVE ABOUT A MINUTE LEFT, DOCTOR, BUT I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT MASK MANDATES, AS WELL.

WE SEE THE CITY OF LINCOLN HAS EXTENDED ITS MASK MANDATE, THE ONLY ONE IN THE STATE, FOR ANOTHER MONTH AND YET WE'RE ALSO SEEING SOME SCHOOLS STARTING TO LOOSEN THOSE AND MAKE THOSE MASK MANDATES OPTIONAL.

IS THERE THAT BALANCE THAT WE CAN EVENTUALLY REACH WHERE YOU CAN STILL SORT OF LIVE YOUR NORMAL LIFE BUT ALSO PROTECT YOURSELF AND THOSE AROUND YOU?

>> WELL, THE BEST WAY TO GET TO A NORMAL LIFE IS FOR ALL OF US TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND GET VACCINATED AND TO CONTINUE TO USE THE MEASURES THAT ARE APPROPRIATE TO PREVENT THE TRANSMISSION OF THIS VIRUS.

IF WE ALL DID THAT TOGETHER, WE COULD GET BACK DOWN TO A VERY LOW LEVEL, LIKE WE ENJOYED IN JUNE AND JULY, AND THEN ALL OF US CONFIDENTLY COULD GET BACK TO PRETTY MUCH OUR NORMAL LIVES.

UNTIL THEN, WE'VE GOT A LOT OF VIRUS THAT'S CIRCULATING.

WE NEED TO BE CAREFUL.

WE'RE NOT OUT OF THIS, YET.

I THINK THAT LANCASTER COUNTY IS ACTUALLY DOING THE RIGHT THING AND CONTINUING THEIR MASK MANDATE.

>> AND JUST IN ABOUT TEN OR 15 SECONDS, HALLOWEEN IS THIS WEEKEND.

ARE THERE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT GOING OUT TRICK-OR-TREATING?

>> HALLOWEEN SHOULD BE A GREAT TIME FOR FOLKS.

BUT DO BE CAREFUL.

TAKE THE NORMAL PRECAUTIONS THAT YOU WOULD, BUT ALSO AVOID THOSE CROWDED PARTICULARLY INDOOR AIR SETTINGS WHERE WE CAN SEE THE TRANSMISSION OF VIRUS.

BUT IT SHOULD BE GOOD HOLIDAY FOR OUR KIDS AND EVERYBODY ELSE.

>> ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU, DR. MARK RUPP, AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERT FROM THE NEBRASKA MEDICAL CENTER.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME TODAY.

FOR THE LATEST ON PANDEMIC NEWS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE, NEBRASKAPUBLICMEDIA.ORG/ CORONAVIRUS.

S S THAT'S ALL FOR THIS WEEK ON "SPEAKING OF NEBRASKA."

THANKS TO JIM HEGARTY WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU AND CHRIS BREST WITH THE FBI IN OMAHA.

WE'LL BE BACK AGAIN IN DECEMBER WITH A LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW.

I'M DENNIS KELLOGG.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

GOOD NIGHT.

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