https://seniortransitions.thecelebrateteam.com/scam-alerts/Scam warnings relevant to Cape Cod, from police, towns and federal agencies. https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/eastham-officials-warn-of-fraudulent-town-invoices/2026-09-16-fake-town-invoices-using-eastham-s-name-and-sealWed, 16 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMTSomeone is sending bills that look like they come from the Town of Eastham. One used the town's name, seal and address for a Planning Board matter and asked for payment. What to do: Do not pay a surprise bill from 'the town'. Call the town department yourself, using a number from the town website or phone book, and ask if the bill is real. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/09/see-qr-code-parked-somewhere-dont-scan-ityet2026-09-03-fake-qr-codes-stuck-on-parking-metersThu, 03 Sep 2026 12:00:00 GMTScammers paste their own QR code over the real one on parking meters and pay stations. Scanning it takes you to a fake payment page that steals your card number or password. What to do: Pay with coins, the meter's card slot, or the town's official parking app you downloaded yourself. If you already paid through a strange code, call your card company and change your passwords. https://oig.ssa.gov/scam-alerts/2026-08-31-protect-your-social-security-number/2026-08-31-callers-pretending-to-be-social-security-ask-for-your-numberMon, 31 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTSomeone says they are from Social Security and must 'check' your Social Security number, job or address, or look into a fake benefit claim. They may send you to a fake website or form. What to do: Hang up. Real Social Security staff will not call out of the blue for your number or bank details, or ask for gift cards, gold, crypto or cash. Call Social Security yourself at 1-800-772-1213 and report the call at ssa.gov/scam. https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2026/08/29/20-mass-communities-have-banned-crypto-kiosks-amid-rise-in-scams/2026-08-29-bitcoin-machines-are-a-favorite-tool-of-scammersSat, 29 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTAbout 20 Massachusetts towns have banned cryptocurrency kiosks (Bitcoin ATMs) because so many scam victims are sent to them. As of late August no Cape town was on that list, and a statewide ban was still being decided at the State House. What to do: No real police, government office, bank or utility will ever tell you to put cash into a Bitcoin machine. If someone on the phone is telling you to go to one, hang up and call your local police. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/when-donating-support-those-need-not-scammer2026-08-27-fake-charities-asking-for-donationsThu, 27 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTAfter disasters and in the news, scammers set up fake charities or pretend to be real ones. The money goes to them, not to people in need. What to do: Look the charity up yourself before giving (Give.org or Charity Watch). Never give by cash, gift card, wire transfer or crypto. Report fake charities at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/barnstable-police-issue-new-warning-about-old-scam/2026-08-25-fake-sheriff-s-office-calls-about-jury-duty-warrants-paid-by-bitcoinTue, 25 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTCallers pretend to be the Barnstable County Sheriff's Office and say you have a warrant for missing jury duty. They tell you to pay with a Bitcoin machine. In one week, three Barnstable people were sent to the same Bitcoin ATM, with about $30,000 at risk. What to do: STOP. HANG UP. DO NOT SEND MONEY. No police or sheriff will phone you about a warrant or ask for crypto. Call Barnstable Police at 508-775-0387 to report it. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/unexpected-package-you-got-could-be-brushing-scam2026-08-20-packages-you-never-ordered-brushingThu, 20 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTA package you did not order shows up with your name on it. Sellers do this to post fake reviews in your name. Some include a QR code that leads to a site that steals your information. What to do: You may keep it and you do not have to pay or send it back. Do not scan any QR code in it. Change your online shopping passwords and report the seller to the store website. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/searching-online-bill-pay-impersonators2026-08-17-look-alike-websites-for-paying-your-billsMon, 17 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTWhen you search online to pay a bill, the top 'ad' results may be companies that only look official. They can add surprise fees to your payment. What to do: Skip the ads at the top of search results. Type the company's web address from your paper bill, or call the number printed on the bill. https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/provincetown-police-warn-of-fund-raising-scam/2026-08-12-fake-fundraiser-calls-for-the-provincetown-policeWed, 12 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTA local group got a call from someone asking for donations 'for the Provincetown Police Department.' The police department does not raise money by phone. What to do: Do not give any card, bank or personal information. Hang up and call Provincetown Police yourself to check (business line 508-487-1213). https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/how-spot-investment-training-scams-social-media2026-08-07-get-rich-trading-courses-on-social-mediaFri, 07 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTAds on Facebook and other sites show luxury cars and trips and promise you can 'learn to trade' and make easy money. People lose a lot of money, and the teachers often have no real qualifications. What to do: Anyone who guarantees profits is lying. Search the company name with the word 'scam' and talk it over with someone you trust before paying anything. https://www.capecod.com/cape-wide-news/barnstable-police-warn-of-fake-federal-arrest-warrants-scam/2026-08-04-fake-federal-arrest-warrants-for-missed-courtTue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTScammers pretend to be federal agents, say you missed court, and send fake U.S. Department of Justice warrants and court papers. They then demand money through a Bitcoin ATM to 'clear' the warrant. What to do: Hang up. Real officers never take payment by phone, Bitcoin, gift cards or wire, and never tell you to lie to your bank. Report it to your local police. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/08/have-you-lost-money-scam-watch-scammers-who-say-they-can-help2026-08-03-we-can-get-your-lost-money-back-scamsMon, 03 Aug 2026 12:00:00 GMTPeople who already lost money to a scam get calls from someone claiming to be a government agency, lawyer or helper group who can recover it, for a fee. It is a second scam. What to do: Never pay upfront to get money back. Look up the agency's number yourself. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the Massachusetts Attorney General. https://oig.ssa.gov/scam-alerts/2026-07-29-beware-of-fake-call-transfers-to-social-security-or-oig/2026-07-29-fake-transfer-of-your-call-to-social-securityWed, 29 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMTA caller pretending to be a store, bank or police says your identity was stolen and 'transfers' you to Social Security or its Inspector General. The second person is also a scammer and asks for information, fees or for you to move money. What to do: No company or agency can transfer your call to Social Security. Hang up, and call Social Security yourself at 1-800-772-1213. Do not trust caller ID. https://www.mass.gov/news/contractor-concerns-heres-your-playbook-to-filing-a-complaint2026-07-27-how-to-check-and-complain-about-a-home-improvement-contractorMon, 27 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMTThe state's consumer office reminds homeowners that contractors working on an owner-occupied home of 1 to 4 units must be registered. You can look them up, see past discipline, and file a complaint if work is left unfinished or done badly. What to do: Before hiring, look the contractor up on the MA Contractor Hub (contractorhub.mass.gov). Get a signed written contract and keep copies of payments and photos. https://www.boston25news.com/news/local/town-chatham-warning-residents-about-donation-scam/4ZA3BX6AX5ACRCQB26EVUFAYUQ/2026-07-08-fake-north-chatham-city-council-police-donation-requestsWed, 08 Jul 2026 12:00:00 GMTPeople got requests for donations from a 'North Chatham City Council' for a national police group. There is no such group in Chatham. What to do: Chatham Police do not ask for donations, and the Chatham Police Association does not call donors. Check any charity before you give. https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2026/PSA2606152026-06-15-couriers-sent-to-your-home-to-pick-up-cashMon, 15 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTAfter weeks of friendly online contact, a fake investment 'expert' says your account is frozen or at risk and sends a courier to your door to collect cash, sometimes with a password or code. Older adults are often targeted. What to do: No real investment ever sends someone to your house for cash. Do not hand money to a stranger. Report it at ic3.gov, or if you are 60+, call the DOJ Elder Justice Hotline 1-833-372-8311. https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/06/ignore-calls-texts-and-emails-threatening-arrest-you-missing-jury-duty2026-06-11-you-missed-jury-duty-arrest-threatsThu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTCallers say you missed jury duty and will be arrested unless you pay now. They may text or email a fake arrest warrant that looks official. What to do: Real police never text or email a warrant, and courts never take payment by phone, app, gift card or crypto. Hang up and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. https://medicareadvocacy.org/new-medicare-cards-2026/2026-06-11-new-medicare-cards-bring-scam-callsThu, 11 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTAbout 1.3 million people with Medicare were sent new cards starting in March 2026. Scammers use this to call and 'activate' or 'replace' your card and get your Medicare number. What to do: Medicare will not call you about a new card, and cards are free, paper, and need no activation. If unsure, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) yourself. https://www.capecodchronicle.com/articles/4600/view/scammers-impersonate-town-permitting-agents2026-06-03-fake-town-permit-fee-emailsWed, 03 Jun 2026 12:00:00 GMTPeople with building or land-use permits in Chatham got emails that looked like they came from town staff, using real addresses and permit numbers. They demanded 'fees' by wire, Venmo, Zelle or crypto. What to do: Real Chatham emails end in @chatham-ma.gov. Call the town department at a number you look up yourself before paying anything. Report it at ic3.gov. https://www.newportdispatch.com/2026/05/29/police-warn-of-increase-in-fraud-scam-reports-in-wellfleet/2026-05-29-wellfleet-police-see-more-fraud-and-scam-reportsFri, 29 May 2026 12:00:00 GMTWellfleet Police said complaints about fraud and scams were going up, including fake bank emails, job offers that charge fees, and travel and financial-aid offers. What to do: Never give personal information to someone you do not know. Sign up at donotcall.gov and get free credit reports only at annualcreditreport.com.