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The Atmore Police Department announced its awareness today of incidents in which the elderly are victims of extortion attempts.

The APD said on its Facebook page that no potential victims have carried through with the instructions the blackmailer(s) have provided them.

“The shakedown artist contacts their potential victims by claiming to be an agent with the U.S. Treasury/Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The deceptive fake agent claims they have proof that the victim has downloaded child pornography. The swindler instructs the victim to withdraw a large sum of cash and to place it into a box and seal it with it with duct tape. The grifter then asks for the victim’s home address and advises the victim that an FCC agent will be coming to pick up the duct taped box full of cash. The hustler then contacts the victim and changes the location to a public place and ultimately becomes a drop off location. So far the victims we know of have contacted us before leaving the cash at the drop off location.”