Holmes Beach Police Department

06/01/2026

⛪ FUNERAL HOME SCAM ALERT 🚨 This egregious scam is being reported again in our area.

Scammers gather information about a deceased loved one from obituaries. They pretend to be from the funeral home selected by grieving family members and tell victims they must pay more money immediately, or the funeral will be canceled. They use a technique called "spoofing" to alter the caller ID, making calls appear to come from the funeral home.

If you receive one of these calls:
- HANG UP. Immediately contact the funeral home directly using a verified phone number - not the one provided in the scammer’s call, text, or email.
- DO NOT provide ANY form of payment.
- Contact BPD and report the crime: 941-932-9300.

06/01/2026

Security Hints & Tips

Social Media Account Spoofing

Social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn are wonderful tools for staying connected. Unfortunately, these platforms are also wonderful tools to manipulate and phish unsuspecting users. One way cybercriminals use social media to their advantage is through account spoofing.

Account spoofing is when a scammer copies information from a social media account, such as the user’s name, location, and photos, to create a look-alike account of that user. And then, from the spoofed account, the scammers send connection requests to everyone on the original account’s list. Sometimes they even message these users with an excuse, such as “Sorry, I got hacked and had to make a new account!”, to make the request more convincing.

How Can I Spot a Spoofed Account?
We tend to trust the people we are connected with, so the bad guys exploit this trust to phish for sensitive information, share malware, and even request money. It can be tough to tell if a social media account is authentic just by looking at it. Luckily, scammers like to make the first move. Keep the following in mind:

Be cautious of any links sent through social media. Especially those that are off-topic, unusual, or outlandish such as gossip videos, dramatic news articles, or fabulous prizes.
If you’re being asked for money—it’s probably a scam. If you feel the request may be legitimate, validate who you are speaking with and request proof of their claims.
Don’t trust connection requests or a suspicious message from someone who you are already connected with. Before responding, try to contact the person through a different form of communication like phone, text, or email.
If you suspect that an account is a spoof of a real account, alert the owner of the legitimate account and report the suspicious account to the platform’s customer service department.
How Can I Prevent My Account from Being Spoofed?
Keep your friends, followers, and reputation safe by following these tips:

Keep your account private. While this doesn’t hide your information completely, it greatly reduces your chances of being spoofed.
Social media platforms have numerous security options that can easily be overlooked. Review and edit your privacy settings to be sure your information is kept private.
Only accept connection requests from people you know and are comfortable sharing your posts with.
If you suspect that your account has been spoofed, contact the social media platform's customer service department.

05/30/2026

Come see us at the City of Holmes Beach Field with the Anna Maria Island Privateers for Snooks Adams Day.

05/25/2026

Manatee Ave is clear, road is back open.

There is a traffic crash at Kingfish Boat Ramp that is blocking both lanes. Please use the Cortez Bridge to access and leave Anna Maria Island until the road can be cleared.

05/25/2026

The roadway is back open.

There is a traffic crash at Kingfish Boat Ramp that is blocking both lanes. Please use the Cortez Bridge to access and leave Anna Maria Island until the road can be cleared.

05/25/2026

We remember & honor all those who sacrificed. Thank you to all.

05/25/2026

There is a traffic crash at Kingfish Boat Ramp that is blocking both lanes. Please use the Cortez Bridge to access and leave Anna Maria Island until the road can be cleared.

05/20/2026

Scam of the Week

The Help Desk Hijacking

Imagine starting your workday to find your email inbox flooded with hundreds of junk emails all arriving at once. Before you can make any sense of the chaos, you receive a Microsoft Teams message from someone claiming to be from your organization's IT team, offering to step in and fix the problem. They send you a link to install a “Mailbox Repair Utility”.

But this IT helper is actually a cybercriminal running a carefully planned scam! Cybercriminals send you this mass influx of emails deliberately to create a sense of panic and make their offer to help you seem credible. If you click the link they sent, you'll be directed to a malicious webpage. Once on the page, you'll be instructed to enter your username and password to install the repair tool. However, this webpage is designed to steal your login information, and the "repair tool" is actually malware!

Follow these tips to stay safe:

If you experience a problem with junk emails, contact your IT department directly through a verified channel. Don't respond to anyone who messages you unexpectedly and offers to help.

You shouldn't click links or install software if someone messages you unexpectedly, even if they claim to work for your IT department. If you receive a suspicious message, be sure to report it.

Remember, always stop and think before you act. Cybercriminals can attempt to trick you by creating a problem and then offering to help you “fix” it.

05/06/2026

Scam of the Week

Genuine Alert, Fake Emergency

In this week's scam, cybercriminals are using fake purchase alerts to target Apple users. You receive what appears to be a genuine Apple email that says, "Your Apple Account information has been updated." It states that someone used your account to purchase an iPhone and includes a phone number to call to cancel the order. Since you didn't authorize this purchase, you may be tempted to call the number immediately.

If you call the number in the email, you'll be connected to a "support person" who will tell you that your account has been compromised. But this email is a phishing scam, and the “support person” is actually a cybercriminal! They'll ask you to provide your financial information so that they can fix the problem, or they may ask you to install software that will allow them to access your device. They can then use that information or software to steal your money or personal data!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this phishing scam:

If you receive an unexpected email claiming that someone used your Apple account to make a purchase, do not call any phone number listed in the email. Instead, go directly to Apple's official website or open the Settings app on your device to check your account activity.

Read emails carefully, even if they seem to come from a legitimate source. Unusual formatting or grammatical errors can be warning signs of a phishing email.

Always stop and think before you act! Cybercriminals often create a sense of urgency to try and pressure you into making fast decisions.

04/29/2026

Scam of the Week

This Job Offer Is a Trap!

In this week's scam, you receive an email from a job recruiter that says you're a perfect candidate for a job opportunity. The email is sent from a Gmail address, but includes specific details about your personal work history, which makes it seem legitimate. However, the recruiter says that your resume doesn’t quite meet their organization’s requirements. They offer to refer you to a "resume expert" who can adjust your resume, but you have to act immediately before the job is no longer available.

But this job recruiter is actually a cybercriminal! They use publicly available data about your work history, such as your LinkedIn profile, to gather information about your previous jobs to make themselves seem more convincing. If you agree to meet with the "resume expert," you'll be contacted by another cybercriminal who will offer to help for a price. But this isn't a real job offer, and the cybercriminals will pocket any money that you send them!

Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this phishing scam:

A legitimate recruiter will never ask you to pay for anything to be eligible for a job opportunity. Being asked for payment as part of the hiring process for a new job is a red flag.

Check the sender’s email address carefully. Real recruiters will usually contact you from a corporate email address, rather than a personal email account, such as Gmail.

Remember, scammers often offer something that seems too good to be true as a way to trick you into sending them money or personal data. If an opportunity seems suspicious, trust your instincts!