An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

‘Tis the season...for scams and malicious campaigns

  • Published
  • By AFOSI, Det. 106
  • AFOSI, Det. 106

As this holiday season approaches, the Office of Special Investigations (OSI) Detachment 106 would like to remind everyone to be aware of potential scams and malicious campaigns, particularly when browsing or shopping online. Fraud is obtaining something of value through willful misrepresentation. Bad actors may send emails, e-cards or text messages containing malicious links or attachments infected with malware, or may send spoofed emails requesting support for fraudulent charities, causes or pandemics. This can happen at home or at work.

In 2019, a holiday-themed phishing campaign delivering emails pretending to be Amazon order confirmations targeted people shopping for holiday gifts. The bad actors infected their targets with a Trojan that would log keystrokes, steal credentials and perform various other nefarious activities on their computers. If you have any reason to believe that you were the victim of a malware campaign or phishing scam, you need to take the following measures to protect yourself and prevent any further financial, data loss or potential identity theft fraud:

  • File a complaint with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center: https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx.
  • File a complaint with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation Cyber Crime Division: https://www.tn.gov/tbi/crime-issues/crime-issues/cybercrime.html.
  • Report the attack to the police and file a report with the Federal Trade Commission.
  • Contact your financial institution immediately and close any accounts that may have been compromised. Watch for any unexplainable charges to your account.

There are several signs that indicate you might be dealing with a bad actor, they include contact from someone:

  • Claiming to be from the government and asking you to pay money.
  • Asking you to pay money or taxes upfront to receive a prize or a gift.
  • Asking you to wire them money, sending money by courier, or putting money on a prepaid card or gift card and sending it to them.
  • Asking for access to your money – such as your ATM cards, bank accounts, credit cards or investment accounts.
  • Paying a larger than normal amount due to COVID-19.

Remember these tips also apply while you are working on Arnold Air Force Base. You are not protected from scams while at work. If something doesn't seem right, you can always hang up or walk away. Bad actors often want you to make a quick decision without thinking about it. Slow down, do your own research about the offer or consult with someone you trust.

With the onset of COVID-19, bad actors have taken advantage of the anxious environment and will try to take advantage of you through misinformation and scare tactics. They might contact you via phone, email, postal mail, text or social media. Protect your money and your identity by not sharing personal information like your bank account number, Social Security number or date of birth. This includes your government affiliated equivalents, like GPC number, expiration dates, etc.

If you believe you have been the target of any scam, report the incident to OSI Detachment 106. Our contact information is below.

OSI Detachment 106 Contact Options:

Duty Hours Phone: 931-454-7820

Detachment Email: AFOSIDet106.CC@us.af.mil               

Text: Text “AFOSI” + Your Tip Info to “Crimes” (274637)