Fraud scams rise in Pima County as criminals pose as police
Fraud reports are rising in Pima County as scammers impersonate law enforcement and trusted authorities, urging residents to verify identities and slow down before acting.
Reports of fraud are rising in Pima County as scammers increasingly pose as law enforcement officers and other trusted authorities, according to local officials.
Detectives say these schemes often rely on urgency and fear to convince victims to hand over money, sometimes in extreme forms such as cash, cryptocurrency or even gold. Consumer advocates and law enforcement officials are urging residents to slow down, question unexpected demands and verify identities before taking action.
Reports of fraud have increased steadily each year, according to the Federal Trade Commission, while total financial losses have surged, driven largely by high-dollar scams involving cryptocurrency exchanges and bank transfers.
Detective Tyler Rivas said one of the most commonly reported scams to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement.
Rivas described a case involving a local medical practitioner who was contacted by someone claiming to be a federal official and told his medical license was being used to illegally write prescriptions and sell drugs. Alarmed, the practitioner followed the caller’s instructions, liquidating his assets, converting the funds into gold bars and leaving them at a designated drop-off location for an individual posing as an agent.
“There’s not really a target demographic,” Rivas said, explaining that people of any age and all intelligence levels can be susceptible to this kind of crime. “Scams are one of the only crimes where the victim has to participate.”
Other common scams feature callers posing as representatives of banks or social media companies such as X or Meta, relying on scripted language, automated voices and urgent phrases like “final warning” or “immediate” to trigger anxiety.
Consumer advocates say recognizing these tactics is the first step in preventing fraud.
“Consumers … are not powerless,” said Irene Coppola, president and CEO of the Southern Arizona Better Business Bureau. “You are the one that has the power. The scammer is trying to take that from you.”
The Better Business Bureau recommends people take three steps if they suspect they are facing a possible scam:
- Pause: Many scammers rely on urgency and reaction. Pausing can give a person time to reflect on whether their emotions are grounded in reality or driven by perceived consequences. A person can also ask for a pause, and if the caller becomes more assertive, that is often a sign of a scam.
- Ask: If the caller claims to be an authority, challenge that claim by asking questions they should already know. For example, if someone says they are calling from a bank and asks for an account number, an account holder might reference an incorrect balance — such as asking whether it is “the account with $500,000 in it.” If the caller agrees despite the information being wrong, it is a clear sign of fraud.
- Verify: If a caller claims to represent law enforcement or a public company, individuals should independently contact that organization using publicly available information. Scammers often provide names or credentials to appear legitimate. Verifying the caller’s identity through a separate channel can prevent fraud.
Coppola said she has heard from multiple consumers who have fallen victim to scams involving urgency and a perceived threat of consequences.
In one case, the scam went nearly undetected until a credit card number was requested. Coppola described it as a form of digital “sleight of hand,” in which what appeared to be a legitimate, free IT service website was instantly switched to a fraudulent one with the click of a button.
This type of fraud can leave victims feeling embarrassed or foolish, sometimes discouraging them from reporting the crime out of fear of further shame.
But officials say reporting a scam is the only way to ensure stolen assets can be recovered or refunded, including cryptocurrency.
Scams can be reported to the Better Business Bureau and the Pima County Attorney’s Office Fraud Unit. For people looking to educate themselves about scams and how to avoid becoming a victim, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department offers information and resources on its website and holds conferences upon request.
Quentin Agnello is a University of Arizona alum and freelance journalist in Tucson. Contact him at qsagnello@gmail.com.
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