Madison residents are being urged to stay vigilant as scam activity continues to increase across the region.

Madison Police Detective Matt Feistner says scammers are using a variety of tactics to steal money from unsuspecting victims and reminds the public that taking a few precautions can help prevent financial losses.

Among the most important recommendations, Feistner says people should never allow someone to pressure them into keeping financial matters secret from their bank or family members. He also advises against giving remote access to a computer to anyone who is not personally trusted.

Another common scam involves convincing victims to purchase gift cards and provide the card numbers or send photos of the cards over the phone or online. Feistner says legitimate businesses and government agencies will never request payment this way.

He also encourages residents to be cautious of strangers contacting them through social media or LinkedIn with promises of quick investment returns or easy cash opportunities.

Feistner specifically warned about cryptocurrency ATMs, saying they have very few legitimate uses for the average consumer and are frequently used by scammers to convert victims’ cash into cryptocurrency that is transferred directly to a criminal’s digital wallet. Once those funds are sent, they are typically impossible to recover.

According to Feistner, many scams are carried out by organized criminal groups that operate full-time scam operations, including large compounds in Southeast Asia run by Chinese organized crime networks.

Anyone who believes they may have been targeted by a scam—or simply has questions about a suspicious situation—is encouraged to contact local law enforcement before sending money or sharing personal information.