Saratoga County Residents Targeted by New Scam Using Public Information

Scammers are constantly finding ways to trick you into gaining your personal information. This latest scam preys on homeowner's fears and their lack of computer savvy. 

The scam that is circulating is concentrated in the Saratoga County city of Mechanicville. The Mechanicville Police issued a warning on their Facebook page that stated scammers are using public info to try to gain access to your personal information. The scammers use images of your house from Google Maps. They sometimes send a photo of your house and claim that they have gained access to personal and private videos, pictures, information, and your web history by hacking into your computer.

Not only do they threaten you, but the scammers will also demand payment in cryptocurrency like BitCoin or they claim they will release all of your personal information, videos, and web history.

Do not fall for this scam. They are fake claims and the scammers are using information through Google Maps that is available to anyone. It's just another way to try to appear legitimate.

If you receive one of these messages, don’t engage or send any money. Report the incident right away to the Mechanicville Police Department. The key to staying safe is staying cautious and keeping your personal information protected.

For any questions or if you need assistance, you can contact the police at 518-664-7383.