Prescott Police Department Launches “STOP – CHECK – PROTECT” Fraud Prevention Campaign

The Prescott Police Department is proud to announce the launch of the Stop – Check – Protect Project, a community-wide fraud prevention campaign designed to educate and empower residents to recognize scams, protect personal information, and stay informed about current fraud trends impacting the community.

Fraud and scam-related crimes continue to rise nationwide, and Prescott is no exception. In just the first four months of this year alone, more than $3.5 million dollars in scams have been reported within the City of Prescott.

The Prescott Police Department is taking this issue seriously and is committed to providing education, resources, and outreach to help prevent further victimization within the community.

On This Day in History — 1880

Aires de Ornelas e Vasconcelos, Portuguese archbishop (born 1837) 19th-century Roman Catholic bishop in India 🔗

The STOP – CHECK – PROTECT Project is set up to educate the public.

The STOP! part suggests that you pause before you act. Scammers create urgency to rush you into a bad decision. Take a moment to stop and think before sharing information.

CHECK! recommendations are to call the company or bank directly, and use trusted websites. Research offers and complaints by typing the offer into a search engine like Google or Bing, and reading the results, You can also get AI to help by using Bing’s Co-Pilot. Also talk to someone you trust.

PROTECT! is the most important part. You need to protect your information and your money. NEVER share your passwords or codes. Use strong passwords (9-12 characters, including symbols and numbers). Enable two-factor authentication (to find out how, click the link). Monitor your accounts and lock your credit.

Red flags to watch for:

Pressure to act immediately
Requests for gift cards or Bitcoin
Unexpected calls or texts
Threats or use of fear tactics
Requests for secrecy
Too-good-to-be-true offers

Some of the more common scams here in Prescott include government or bank impersonations, romance scams, investment or cryptocurrency schemes, tech support, text messages, and online shopping fraud.

The best thing to do is hang up the phone, block the texts, and if you think you are being scammed, call the Prescott Police Department at 928-445-3131.

The Stop – Check – Protect Project will include:

Fraud Friday safety tips shared on social media
Community presentations and outreach events
Educational handouts and pamphlets
A website resource hub with fraud prevention information and reporting resources

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