During the holiday season, online scams targeting Idaho residents become more prevalent. In response, U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit, alongside the FBI and various local law enforcement agencies, has released a second public service announcement (PSA) as part of the "Don't Click December" Consumer Protection Campaign. The AARP is also involved in this initiative.
The campaign advises caution when dealing with unsolicited online communications from unknown sources. If there is uncertainty about a link or message, authorities advise: “Don’t Click It.”
The latest PSA features Bannock County Prosecutor Stephen Herzog, Idaho Falls Police Chief Bryce Johnson, and U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit discussing the "QR Code" scam and offering protection tips. This scam involves scammers sending fake QR codes to direct victims to fraudulent websites that can steal personal information.
As the campaign continues, two more PSAs will be released before Christmas to inform the public about common online fraud schemes affecting Idahoans.
U.S. Attorney Hurwit emphasized the importance of awareness during this period: “We have witnessed many Idahoans lose their hard-earned money or their entire retirement savings to online scams. And, sadly, this type of crime tends to spike during the holiday season.” He expressed gratitude towards law enforcement partners and the AARP for supporting the campaign and urged reporting of scams for investigation.
The initiative aims to eliminate stigma around being scammed and provides resources for reporting fraud to authorities like the FBI.
For more information on these scams or to report an incident, visit FBI.gov or contact local law enforcement.