Palatine police warn of scam targeting elderly residents

Palatine police are reporting a recent increase of phone/text/email frauds involving elderly residents being scammed out of substantial amounts of money.

This crime involves scammers impersonating federal agents to gain victims' trust. The suspects often send victims a link to download a “mirroring app,” giving them access to the victim's device screens, bank accounts and home security cameras. Victims are then instructed to visit their banks, withdraw significant sums of money and leave it for the scammers at a designated physical location, often their own home.

In other incidents, scammers display a pop-up message on the victim's laptop screen with a phone number. When the victim calls, the scammers — posing as FBI agents — convince them to withdraw large sums of money and leave it outside their home, where the scammers retrieve it shortly afterward.