Indiana Secretary of State warns of scammers posing as government officials

INDIANAPOLIS (WTWO/WAWV) — Following multiple cases of scammers impersonating Indiana government officials, including one scammer who stole nearly $2 million, Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales is warning Hoosiers to stay alert.

“Scammers are preying on hardworking Hoosiers, stealing their life savings under the guise of protecting their assets. Urgency and secrecy are two of the biggest red flags. If you’re asked to convert cash into cryptocurrency, wire funds, or send gift cards, there’s a good chance it’s a scam.  Ask questions and do your homework before handing over your hard-earned money,” said Diego Morales, Indiana Secretary of State.

The warning comes as the Indiana Securities Division has seen a recent increase in reports of scammers impersonating government employees or agencies that are targeting Hoosiers through email, text, and social media, according to a press release.

These scammers attempt to trick victims into believing their accounts have been hacked or tied to illegal activity, leading the scammers to pressure the victim to move their money.

According to a press release from the Indiana Secretary of State, recent cases include an elderly woman who lost over $800,000 after a scammer told her that her computer contained illegal content and ordered her to transfer her savings into cryptocurrency and gold.

A similar case involved a scammer stealing nearly $2 million from another Hoosier after posing as a Homeland Security agent and convincing them to wire funds to the scammer.

Morals said these scams often follow the same three steps:

• Tech Support Imposter – A pop-up, text, or email directs victims to call “tech support,” giving scammers access to personal computers and financial accounts. They pretend to run a virus scan on your computer and falsely claim the victim’s computer has been hacked.
• Financial Institution Imposter – Victims are told their accounts are compromised and instructed to transfer money “for safekeeping.” The victim is directed to transfer their money via a wire transfer, cash, or crypto ATM transfer, often to overseas recipients.
• Government Imposter – Scammers pose as federal agencies, sometimes using fake letterhead or emails to appear legitimate. The scammer continues to emphasize that the victim’s funds are “unsafe” and that they must be moved to a new “alias” account for protection.