The Perkasie Borough Police Department has found that fraud continues to be one of the most common forms of crime encountered by our residents throughout the year. In the most recent full year data from 2024, the FTC received 66,560 reports of fraud with total losses of 279 million dollars and a median loss of 330 dollars. Combined with identity theft, reports to the FTC for just our state totaled 148,377. These numbers do not include those individuals who are unaware that they lost money, do not know how to properly report fraud, or are too embarrassed to report the incident to authorities. While many people think fraud largely impacts the aging population, the reality is that it impacts individuals of all ages. The most recent data from the FTC shows that the age category reporting the most fraud per 100,000 people is the 40-49 category. Credit cards remain the most common form of payment for fraud while websites and apps are the leading contact method. This data shows that no matter what age you are, it is important to be vigilant and remain educated to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. 

You can find more information regarding how to avoid a scam here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-scam 

You can find also find information regarding identity theft here: https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-identity-theft