Georgetown police say more than $80,000 has been recovered for scam victims in six states after an online fraud investigation involving federal law enforcement and financial institutions.
The Georgetown Police Department said the money was tied to several victims who were reportedly defrauded through an online scam operation, according to FOX 56.
Police said the investigation recovered a substantial portion of the stolen funds and that authorities are working to return the money to the victims.
The Scam Hit Victims Across State Lines
LEX 18 reported that Georgetown police recovered more than $80,000 on behalf of victims in six states after a lengthy investigation with federal partners and financial institutions.
“While financial crimes can be difficult to investigate and often involve victims across multiple jurisdiction, persistence and cooperation among our law enforcement partners can lead to meaningful results for victims,” Georgetown police investigators said, according to LEX 18.
Police Pointed To High-Value Online Purchases
Georgetown police warned buyers to stay cautious when purchasing items online, including vehicles, equipment, livestock, trailers, and other high-value items.
Those categories can draw scammers because the prices are large, buyers may search outside their local area, and sellers can pressure people to send money before seeing the item in person.
A fake seller can use stolen photos, a believable listing, and urgent payment instructions to make a deal feel real long enough to get the money.
Wire Transfers Can Leave Buyers With Few Options
Georgetown police urged people to independently verify sellers and be wary of wire transfers or other irreversible payment methods.
The Federal Trade Commission says buyers should not pay with wire transfers, gift cards, cash reload cards, or cryptocurrency when buying from an online marketplace. The agency also warns against paying outside the marketplace’s payment system because that can remove whatever buyer protection the platform offers.
For vehicles, equipment, livestock, or trailers, buyers can ask for a live video walkthrough, match the seller’s name to ownership records when possible, search the listing photos to see whether they appear elsewhere, and avoid sending a deposit through a payment method that cannot be reversed. If the seller changes the payment instructions, refuses an inspection, or says shipping will happen only after a wire transfer, the buyer is carrying most of the risk.
The Investigation Is Still Open
WKYT reported that police are not releasing additional information about suspects or investigative details while the case remains active.
Online purchase scams can start with a normal-looking listing and end with a payment sent to someone the buyer never meets.
Anyone who already paid a fake seller should contact the bank, credit card company, payment app, or wire-transfer provider immediately and ask whether the transaction can be stopped, reversed, disputed, or traced. Screenshots of the listing, seller profile, messages, payment instructions, tracking numbers, phone numbers, email addresses, and receipts should be saved before the seller account disappears.