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Burglars targeting small businesses
Lakewood Police are looking for unknown suspects who appear to be targeting restaurants and other small businesses in a series of nighttime burglaries. The suspects use a crowbar to pry open the doors or break through windows, then take cash from registers and safes. The crimes are happening throughout the Denver Metro area.
Business owners are reminded not to leave cash in their registers overnight, and to bolt safes to the floor. Anyone with information about these crimes should contact Detective George McGlynn at 303-987-7244 or geomcg@lakewoodco.org.
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Watch out for counterfeit money
Retailers and the police throughout Colorado and beyond have been encountering unusual amounts of counterfeit money lately. Money printed beginning in 2004 should have some common security features. These include small red and blue security fibers embedded in the paper; a large, off-center photograph without a frame; and a watermark visible from either side when the bill is held to the light.
Be sure to feel the bills (genuine money is made of linen and cotton) and check to make sure the serial numbers are different. Various counterfeiting methods are being used. If you encounter suspicious currency, hold it for the police, try to identify the person passing it, and call for an agent to respond.
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Beware of IRS scams
Now that tax season is upon us again, Internal Revenue Service cons are becoming increasingly aggressive. These scammers call or e-mail and claim that an individual or business owes the IRS money. They may ask for personal or financial information, and typically demand that money be sent via a pre-loaded debit card such as a Green Dot Money Card, or that the money be wire transferred. They often threaten to have the victim arrested or deported, or to suspend the victim’s business or driver’s license.
IRS scammers may know the last four digits of a victim’s social security number, and they can create fake caller IDs and e-mail addresses. The real IRS will not call or e-mail, but instead notifies individuals and businesses of problems with their taxes via mail. To report these scams, call the IRS at 1-800-366-4484.
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