Investigator Al Perales with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office spoke about ways to prevent being scammed during an event at the Reinig Center in Toledo last Thursday. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS

Last Thursday, the Reinig Center was filled with citizens looking to learn a thing or two. Toledo Police Chief Dan Quigley and Tama County Sheriff Casey Schmidt knew that a scam prevention seminar like this could provide important information to them.

Investigator Al Perales, who has been with the Iowa Attorney General’s Office for nearly two decades, started his talk with a joke and a smile before getting into the nitty gritty details of scam prevention. One of Perales’ most important tips was T.I.P., which stands for Threat, Immediacy, Payment — all the call signs of a scam.

Another seminar in the future is possible, whether this becomes an annual thing, or it is held on the northern side of the county.

“Education is power, and we can’t let people forget about the tactics scammers use. I’m really passionate about spreading the word and helping folks stay informed. Plus, I want to make sure law enforcement is doing everything it can to bring these scammers to justice. Together, we can make our community safer,” Schmidt said.

Scams going unreported and the limited resources police departments have to investigate hinder the fight against this pervasive crime.

Tama County Sheriff Casey Schmidt and Toledo Police Chief Dan Quigley spoke before introducing Investigator Al Perales of the Iowa Attorney General’s Office. PHOTO BY MICHAEL D. DAVIS

“Local businesses, financial institutions, law enforcement, and community members need to work together to fight these types of crimes,” Quigley said.

Schmidt has been working on all fronts to fight the ever-evolving battle against scammers. Recently, he has been seen standing behind Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird as she announced lawsuits against scamming crypto ATM companies, even right here in Tama County.

“I personally worked on a case where a victim was tricked by some really nasty scammers. They convinced the victim to go to a crypto ATM and scan a fake QR code. The moment that code was scanned, the victim lost over $30,000. It’s a heartbreaking situation and really shows just how important it is for us to raise awareness about these scams. We need to keep talking about this and help our community understand how to protect themselves from these kinds of tricks,” Schmidt said.

This time it is scam prevention, but next time it could be anything. This seminar was hopefully just the first of many to come.

“I think we need more informational events on different topics related to law enforcement and our community. I’m planning to start some town hall meetings where I can share what’s going on and address any concerns. It’ll also be a great opportunity for the community to ask questions about crime and staying safe. Knowledge is key in protecting ourselves, and I’m really looking forward to keeping this conversation going,” Schmidt said.

Quigley, who worked to set up this event months ago, is also eager to continue bringing informational talks to the area.

“I have some other topics that I think would be good to cover. I hope to partner with other organizations to host more in the future,” he said.

For anyone who couldn’t get out to the scam prevention event, the discussion was recorded, so you don’t have to miss one tip. To see the video of his presentation, visit the Tama County Sheriff’s Office’s YouTube page or find the link to the video on their Facebook page.

Report scams to the Iowa Attorney General’s Office call 1-888-777-4590 or go to iowaattorneygeneral.gov.