MORGAN COUNTY, KY (LEX News) — Scams are becoming more common, according to Sheriff Greg Motley, who says advances in technology are making them harder to spot. "Scamming is just becoming more and more prevalent," Motley said.
Motley said that scammers are targeting everyone. With more than 30 years of law enforcement experience, technology has changed the way scammers operate. He pointed to tactics such as spoofing phone numbers, making calls from outside the country and the potential for scammers to increasingly use artificial intelligence in the future.
"I look to see a lot more scams developed from that technology," Motley said.
The warning comes after a Commercial Bank notified the sheriff's office about a counterfeit $100 bills that was identified by employees. According to Motley, it is the only reported case in Morgan County so far, but bank officials wanted to raise awareness before someone else unknowingly accepts a fake bill.
Brad LeMaster, who works at Commercial Bank, said the counterfeit bill was convincing enough that many people may not have recognized it as fake.
"It's kind of blended in," LeMaster said. "So if you was, you know, actually looking for the counterfeit $100 bill, you wouldn't have noticed them."
Motley said modern printing technology allows counterfeiters to produce bills that look increasingly realistic.
"These printers are photo quality so they can reproduce a bill and make it look very real," Motley said.
LeMaster said no one lost any money in the incident, but counterfeit $100 bill can have a significant impact on individuals and businesses.
"It's a $100 bill. This day and time with the prices, it's gonna affect you personally, will affect your business as well," LeMaster said.
LeMaster and Motley said that advances in technology, including AI and improved printing capabilities, continue to create new challenges for banks and consumers trying to identify counterfeit currency.
Motley said that reality is one reason scams continue to be successful.
"They try to scam 100 people in a day. If they only get one person, then they're winning," Motley said.
The sheriff encourages people to slow down, ask questions and verify information before accepting money, making purchases or responding to suspicious calls and messages.
Motley added that anyone who believes they may be the target of a scam should contact their local sheriff's office.
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