LAPD Sgt. Ben Irving/Photo Courtesy LAPD

UNITARIAN CHURCH NEWS RELEASE

Have you ever been scammed?  If so, you are not alone. Everyone is at risk. In 2024 reports filed with the Federal Trade Commission identified 2.6 million fraud reports and 1.1 million reports of identity theft.  Since not all incidents are reported, the actual numbers are higher and the threat is larger.  Consumers reported losing more than $12 billion in 2024.  The advent of AI will make the peril of internet fraud more potent.

 Sgt. Benjamin Irving of the Los Alamos Police Department will present a Forum on The Most Common Fraud Scams in New Mexico.   He will discuss how to recognize different kinds of scams, how to prevent oneself from becoming a victim, and how to report scams.

Sgt. Irving has worked with LAPD for 14 years. He is a field training officer, domestic violence instructor and has general instructorship in a variety of topics.  He holds a Master of Science Degree in Law Enforcement Leadership from the University of Diego, and he is a graduate of the Northwestern School of Police Staff and Command #538. Sgt. Irving works as Community Liaison Unit Supervisor for the Los Alamos Police Department.

The public is invited to attend the Sunday Forum at the Unitarian Church of Los Alamos at 12 p.m. on Sunday, February 8, at 1738 North Sage Street.  The Forum program endeavors to educate the public about issues that affect the community.  It is independent of the religious mission of the church