November Coffee With a Cop – Scams in HSV

Featured image: L to R Detective Tom Maxwell; Chief Kristi Bennett; Retired Chicago Police Officer Andrew Jones, Jr.

Hot Springs Village Police Chief Kristi Bennett and the HSV Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (CPAAA) hosted a Coffee with a Cop on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Attendees were given a coffee mug, all the coffee they could drink, and even some delicious donuts. The main topic of the November meeting was “Scams in HSV.”

Scams in Hot Springs Village

Hot Springs Village is one of the safest places to live in the United States because we don’t allow the criminal element to establish itself here.

Chief Bennett asked, “What do you think the biggest crime in Hot Springs Village is?”

“Number one, hands down,” fraud is something we see daily.

“It is to the point where it is evolving, and it is so easy for these criminals to get ahold of your money. This can be attributed to the demographics of the Village and that Villagers are nice. We’re nice people.”

Bennett said the department spends a lot of time giving presentations at Village club meetings, but sometimes people who were there can be on the receiving end of a scam. “Traditionally, whenever you have to deal with elderly abuse when it comes to fraud, there is not a whole lot of law and protection in place.”

Bennett gave an example of a recent Village case involving a caregiver who was accused of adult abuse and stealing $125K from a Village couple. Click here to read the Sentinel-Record article.

Caregiver Linda Mae Fuller was arrested a few weeks ago and charged with five different felony crimes. “Unfortunately, the husband has passed away since then, and the wife is dealing with this alone,” expressed the Chief.

Bennett explained that it has been frustrating for officers because these types of events are often civil matters, and police hands can be tied. Still, there is a new law regarding the exploitation of vulnerable adults, which includes the elderly.

“This is a financial piece of legislation which gives us the authority and ability to charge people, such as a caregiver living in a home, when otherwise we would have just been able to tell them, ‘Sorry, there is nothing we can do.'”

The Chief said that the detectives have “made incredible grounds regarding fraud investigations.”

Detective Mike Kliewer said that documenting financial cases involves detailed tracking of money, and this can be time-consuming as numerous subpoenas may be necessary. One subpoena may lead to the necessity of obtaining another. In the recent case, $125,000 is a lot of money to account for.

Kliewer explained that these types of crimes are serious and becoming more and more prevalent. Hot Springs Village is targeted because of the gates, age demographics, and perception of residential wealth.

In 2023, it is estimated that nationwide, fraud and scam cases have reached $3.5B. Detective Tom Maxwell explained, “We want to stop this from happening [in Hot Springs Village].” By the time the case reaches the detectives, it has already happened, and Maxwell would like to focus on prevention. “If I don’t ever have to work a fraud case again, that would be great!” the detective stated.

Maxwell said he was the victim of a scam once on a fake Underarmour website. “It looked legit.”

Arrests and recovery of funds in online scams are rare.

With the rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI), scammers call to get you to speak on the phone, and then they can use your real voice to perpetuate a scam. Kliewer said we are at the beginning stages of AI technology and the use of this is going to become more common. Don’t engage in a conversation with a potential scammer. They record your voice and insert it into AI programs to generate complete sentences.

Types of Scams and Fraud

• Online romance scams (dating sites, Facebook) “Don’t think you are falling in love with someone online because they are going to tell you things to make you feel good, and it is probably a 300-lb man from another country,” said Kliewer.
• Sale of nonexistent goods/services scams (animal sales, car sales, Facebook marketplace)
• Bill scams – Always verify with the medical provider if you get a text for a medical bill.
• Virus scams – (computer pop-ups)
• Charity scams
• Debt collection / debt relief scams
• Grandparent imposter scams – the caller pretends to be a grandchild or relative needing bail money or to pay court fines, etc.
• Caretaker scams / fraud (unlicensed caretaker exploitation). When hiring a caretaker, do your due diligence and conduct background checks if not going through a reputable company. It is best to use a licensed caretaker. See the caretaker scam above.
• Check fraud – Check washing is where the criminal makes an image of your check and puts it in a computer program which changes the original amounts and the payee.
• Email scams – some scammers can hijack your email, and you may not be talking to the original party.

Common Types of Payment Requests by Scammers

• Cash
• Wire transfers
• Mobile app payments (Cash app, Apple Pay, Venmo, etc.)
• Gift cards / pre-paid debit cards – No business will ask you to go to Walmart and purchase a gift card.
• Cryptocurrency (Bitcoin)

What To Do

Although the Hot Springs Village Police Department is dealing with these types of situations to the best of its ability, there are things Villagers can do to protect themselves and prevent being scammed. These scam and fraud criminals are very creative and we need to work together to care for ourselves and each other to remain victimless.

• If you think something is suspicious, call Detective Maxwell. (501-922-5071) You also may want to call a family member.
• Protect your information (Lock up social security cards, try to avoid using checks, watch your credit reports, and don’t put too much information on social media.)
• Don’t open or respond to emails, texts, or calls from people you don’t know.
• If a virus alert pops up on your computer, unplug your computer. (Do not call the number on the pop-up.) Most companies will not call you.
• If you need 24/7 home care, use a licensed, reputable company.
• Look out for your neighbors, friends, and family members.

About Coffee with a Cop

There are plans to hold these events every month so the community can get to know the officers and ask questions. The meetings will be held on the second Wednesday of each month at 10:00 a.m. at the Coronado Center in the Police Training Facility (Room 5).

“Coffee With Cop” events were put to the side for the past two and a half years due to “all the hard work we have been doing at the agency. We’ve accomplished so many things, and we are so proud of those accomplishments,” explained the Chief. Bennett plans to base the event topics on community input.

Andrew Jones, Jr., of the Hot Springs Village Citizens’ Police Academy (CPA) and retired Chicago, Illinois Police Officer, said the atmosphere for the coffees would be relaxed and informative. Jones is very excited about the opportunity to work with Chief Bennett. Jones said he was not able to walk around the city of Chicago without a weapon, which is in stark contrast to the Village. Jones said the future of the department is bright.

Chief Bennett asked that we tell our neighbors about the monthly “Coffee with a Cop” meetings.

Introduction of HSV Officers Attending the Meeting

Bennett began the officer introductions with Operational Commander Brad Wiley. Chief Bennett said Wiley brings a lot of exceptional experience to the team. As an eighteen-month tenured employee, Wiley is responsible for ensuring there are cars to drive, uniforms to wear, firearms, and any other needed items.

Detective Mike Kliewer has been in law enforcement for over 23 years. Moving here from Springfield, Missouri, three years ago. He said he visited the Police Department to inquire about the crime rate and left with a job offer. The Detective said it is great working for Chief Bennett in a great department and an “awesome community.”

Two-year HSV Police Department employee Detective Tom Maxwell stated that he has a background in law enforcement, teaching, and coaching baseball at the high school level. Certified to be a principal, Maxwell has a master’s degree and comes to us from Nevada. Long-time friend Mike Kliewer convinced Maxwell to move to the Village and apply to work for the HSV Police Department. Maxwell has the distinction of top Police Academy scores in academics and the firearms category.

Officer Ryan Steed has been in law enforcement since 2014, working at the Garland County Detention Center. Steed says he enjoys helping people. Bennett said, “Ryan does an excellent job. He is very talented when it comes to DWI and traffic enforcement.”

Training Officer C J Glover is the newest hire on the force with a tenure of 2.5 months. He has 21 years of experience at the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department in Texas. He has been vacationing in the Village since the early 2000s. Glover shared that he is excited to be here and serve the community. Fun fact: Glover is the author of three fiction novels under a pen name, “Earnest Lee.”

Citizen Police Academy

The next Citizen Police Academy class will be in February. These classes meet on Thursdays for six weeks, and some of the subjects covered are crime prevention, critical incidents, significant crimes, emergency communications, how you can help combat crime, and how your police department works for you every day.

Applications are available at the HSV Police Department at 113 Calella Road, telephone 501-922-0011, or you can go here and click on the link at the bottom of the website. Completed applications should be sent to the Police Department. 

By Cheryl Dowden