Rip-off recap: These were the top 10 scams of 2024

The techniques and tricks may have changed over the years, but when it comes to the ways in which scammers separate you from your money, they keep playing the hits.

For a fifth consecutive year, online shopping scams top the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois’ annual list of most frequently reported rip-offs, the agency reported this week.

In fact, the top three from last year remain the same, with phishing and employment scams placing second and third once more.

Online shopping scams typically involve fake websites that collect your personal information, make unauthorized charges to your accounts or sell you items that the perpetrators have no intent to deliver.

Phishing involves scammers impersonating legitimate organizations or people you know to acquire sensitive information such as passwords, credit card numbers or Social Security numbers, leading to identity theft and unauthorized charges.

Employment scams usually entail scammers making a false promise of a job or interview to acquire personal information or payments for work-related training and equipment.

What was new in 2024? Investment scams moved into the top 10 last year, fueled largely by schemes involving cryptocurrency, according to the BBB.

Also new: Scammers are using artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to tailor their approaches to specific targets, making their phony pitches seem more credible.

Rounding out the top 10: debt collection scams, counterfeit products, travel/vacation/timeshare fraud, government agency impostors, bogus sweepstakes and lottery schemes and tech support shakedowns.

“The results show that con artists keep coming up with various schemes and ways to entice all age groups to snare as targets,” said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau.

“The only way to stop scammers is not to give them your business, which requires vigilance,” he added.

If you’ve spotted a scam, whether or not you’ve lost money, you can report it to the BBB ScamTracker at bbb.org/ScamTracker.

New approach to officer wellness

When it comes to wellness for police officers, we typically hear about the physical and mental fitness needed to withstand the rigors of the job.

But financial stability, spiritual health, intellectual curiosity and a supportive social life are just as important to the well-being of those who work in law enforcement.

That’s the case put forward by Lake County Forest Preserves Director of Public Safety Ron Davis in an article published in Police Chief magazine, the official publication of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Entitled “The Six Facets of Holistic Wellness” and coauthored by Jennifer A. Wessels from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the article argues that keeping police officers at the top of their game requires a multilayered approach that includes — but isn’t limited to — time in the gym and access to mental health services.

It also means fostering a culture of curiosity and critical thinking; financial guidance on budgeting, debt management and long-term planning; and spiritual health, whether it be belief in a higher power or finding meaning and purpose in one’s work.

“We have to look at our employees as industrial athletes,” Davis told us this week. “It’s not just their physical health and mental well-being, but their intellectual well-being, financial well-being and spiritual health.”

While a multifaceted approach such as the one he advocates for may seem like a big undertaking for many — especially smaller — departments, Davis said he would tell his fellow chiefs to start with small, achievable steps.

“Nobody gets to the finish line right away,” he said. “This is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Geneva cops honored

Four Geneva police officers received lifesaving medals from the city council Monday for saving a distraught woman who was harming herself.

Sgt. Mark Russo and officers Dan Yates, Bob Pech and Sarah Sullivan responded to a call at 12:22 p.m. Oct. 15 from workers at Northwestern Medicine Delnor Hospital about a woman who evaded hospital staff but clearly needed assistance.

Officers found her and kept her from attempts at harming herself.

“There is no doubt these officers helped save the woman’s life due to their diligent and selfless efforts,” Chief Eric Passarelli told the council.

Improving juvenile justice

Kane County Court Services Director LaTanya Hill has been reappointed to a two-year term on the Illinois Supreme Court’s Committee on Juvenile Courts. The committee reviews and makes recommendations for the juvenile court process for criminal courts and child protection systems.

In an announcement of her selection, Hill advocated for a holistic approach to juvenile justice.

“We regularly work with juveniles charged with serious crimes who’ve also had a history of being abused and neglected,” she said. “There is so much overlap between the two systems that we have to look at what we’re doing, how we can do it better, and make sure we aren’t inadvertently making it worse or creating harm.”

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