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A fake celebrity profile on social media snared another local victim this week. A Clinton woman lost $800 to someone posing as Elon Musk, the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. As we hear all too often, this scam started on Facebook, quite innocently. The woman noticed online games appearing on her Facebook feed, so decided to play them. Every game she played, she won, and another game popped up to play. She won and won. After winning the last game, she saw graphics explode on the screen – fireworks and banners! Along with a message from Elon Musk, telling her he wanted to give her a Tesla and $50,000 for winning the games. The woman knew of Musk and knew of his wealth and notoriety. To this woman, such an offer was life changing. That money could be huge for her adult children and grandchildren. Her own car was at the end of its life. It all sounded overwhelming, and “I made myself believe it.” Musk convinced the woman to leave Facebook, and download Telegram, a messaging app with looser rules and standards. She found several profiles for Musk there, and through one, he coached her to buy Apple gift cards over a span of several days and send images of the codes from the cards. The Musk imposter said she needed a “Tesla card” and a ”key card”. Retail clerks warned her every time of the hazards of buying these cards. In fact, she saw this sign displayed with the gift cards, photographed it, and sent it to the Musk imposter, quizzing him about what it meant. The imposter smoothly and convincingly told her to ignore the sign. When staff at Walgreens North challenged her, their warning broke through and she realized she fell for a scam. After she reported the scam to law enforcement, we helped the woman report the fraud to Apple. This is important because it allows Apple to disable the Apple accounts used by the scammers for redeeming the stolen funds from the cards. It won’t get your money back, but it will make life more difficult for the thieves. Here are three major takeaways from this event: -- Social media is awash in fake celebrity profiles, existing only to fleece the unwary. -- Never buy gift cards for someone you never met, for any reason. Gift cards are for gifts. -- If you do fall for a gift card scam, report it to police and call the gift card company also to make a report and do it immediately. Always save your receipts. This loss to our victim demonstrates again the powerful lure of a windfall and how it will overtake good judgment. CONTACT SENIORS VS. CRIME Let me know about scams, fraud, or other crookedness you run across. Most of what I learn, I learn from you. Contact me at Seniors vs. Crime, Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, (563) 242-9211, extension 4433, or email me at randymeier@gapa911.usThe Hennepin County Board approved a 5.5% increase to its property tax levy Thursday to fund a $3.1 billion budget for 2025. Property taxes fund about $1 billion of the county’s $2.54 billion operating budget and $568 million capital improvement plan. About 60% of the county operating budget comes from state and federal dollars dedicated to various social programs. Hennepin County is Minnesota’s second-largest governmental body, after the state. Overall, county spending will grow by $135 million, or 5.6%, next year. The impact of the county’s levy increase on individual tax bills will vary depending on the value of a property and the tax base of the community in which it is located. Other local governments like schools and cities levy their own property taxes, which also appear on tax bills. About $55 million comes from the property tax increase and the rest from savings. County leaders noted that federal pandemic aid is spent and tapping savings will make up short-term gaps without impacting long-term finances. Much of the new spending will go toward rising salaries and benefits for the county’s 10,000 employees. The size of the workforce is not expected to change, and county officials are finalizing new contracts with the 17 unions that represent about two-thirds of its workers. More than 4,000 workers represented by six different AFSCME units approved new three-year contracts Wednesday that include 4% raises each year. That is on top of the regular increases some workers receive for their experience. Agreements with the AFSCME units set the standard for the pay raises received by other labor units and workers not in unions. During negotiations union leaders emphasized the double-digit pay increases county leaders approved for top officials this year. The new budget also includes $10 million toward covering the cost of uncompensated care at HCMC, the safety-net hospital overseen by commissioners and the Hennepin Healthcare System board. The proposed capital budget includes $100 million for the Blue Line light rail extension . Another $45 million is slated for projects at HCMC, including work on a new parking ramp that will help make room for the eventual construction of an in-patient hospital tower. County officials propose a budget each September and then modify it over the course of three months of analysis and debate. The County Board approved the tax-and-spending plan on a 6-0 vote, with Commissioner Marion Greene absent. Hennepin County’s levy increase is higher than the 4.75% the Ramsey County Board is expected to approve next week. But it is smaller than some nearby counties and cities . Minneapolis and St. Paul city councils both clashed with their mayors before finalizing budget plans. Minneapolis’ property tax levy will rise 6.8% next year and St. Paul’s will climb 5.9% . Anoka County recently approved a 16.9% increase while Dakota County plans a 9.9% hike and Washington County eyes a 5.9% increase.
