Blackmail, Impersonation Scams Terrorizing Upstate New York Town

Scammers are terrorizing residents of this Central New York town with threats of blackmail and police impersonation scams.

Scam artists are becoming relentless. They not only increased their aggression when targeting would-be victims, their creativity is making it even harder to spot them.

Recently, fraudsters began harassing former and current members of a major Upstate New York bank to gain access to their accounts and personal information.

Read More: Berkshire Bank's Urgent Warning about Increased Fraudulent Calls

With the rise of artificial intelligence, criminals can impersonate practically anyone. A report from Medium found criminals only need 15 seconds of a recorded voice to clone it.

This has led to countless "pig butchering" romance scams in New York that have successfully swindled billions from hardworking but lonely Americans.

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More alarmingly, scammers are using AI to pose as a victim's loved one in what is called a virtual kidnapping ransom scam.

Criminals program the AI to sound like the victim's terrified loved one, such as by screaming or pleading for their life, before demanding a hefty ransom for their fake captive's release.

Scammers are now rehashing a new horrifying scheme to terrorize Herkimer residents.

Herkimer Police warned that fraudsters are sending victims images of their home in a blackmailing attempt.

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Criminals claim they installed spyware on a victim's phone or computer, which allowed them to take complete control of their devices, emails, and social media accounts.

These scammers then threaten to humiliate their victim by releasing all the nefarious and nasty things the spyware seemingly found if they don't pay "a small fee" within 24 hours.

One example by Herkimer PD shows the scammer asking for $2,000 in bitcoin.

That's not the only scam in town.

Herkimer Police said they were also made aware that criminals are calling residents and claiming police and Herkimer Police Chief Jory are searching for them.

"The Herkimer Police would contact you directly by phone or at your home, never through a third party that isn't law enforcement," they warned on Facebook. "Please do not provide any personal information over the phone, hang up and contact us directly at the Police Department for further information."

If you believe you have been tricked by these criminals, police urge you to file a claim with the Internet Crime Complaint Center HERE and inform Herkimer PD.

Scammers are always finding new ways to trick people and authorities are keeping track of all their latest schemes.

The Federal Trade Commission has updated their website on how to spot a scammer and presents language typically used by fraudsters to scare their victim into compliance.

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It is always important to keep a cool head when recieving a threatening text, call, or email. This will allow you to think clearly, remember the red flags of a scam, and make a more informed decision.

Below are some other ways scammers and hoaxters trick millions into falling for social media scams every day.

7 Ways to Spot a Facebook Hoax

A hoax claiming the Price Chopper Store in Oneida, NY, was closing its doors went viral both online and in the community. The report was debunked by WIBX after speaking directly with a Price Chopper rep.

Here's how you can stop yourself from falling for the next fake news report.

Gallery Credit: Megan