OKEECHOBEE — Scams come in all shapes and sizes -- and  can cost you everything.

An Okeechobee man reported how one of the more common scams affected him recently. According to information released by the Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office, a complaint was made on June 9 at approximately 8 p.m., and Deputy Brady Rhodes responded to the man’s home on Southwest 18^th Street.

The man said he noticed that morning as he logged onto Facebook and Instagram that he was locked out of his accounts. He said he had been hacked and the hacker was contacting people through his account trying to sell them things. He said the hacker requested money and included accounts for Cash App and Zelle. However, he added that the man did not get any of his personal information other than his name and a few photos.

The deputy told him to report the hack to Facebook and Instagram so they could freeze or delete the accounts.

This type of crime is just one of many reported to local law enforcement on a regular basis. Others include a recent case of a woman getting a call from someone claiming to work for a local bank. The caller was able to obtain enough information from his victim to steal close to $200.

Many victims have reported someone calling claiming to work for their organization or for law enforcement. These callers were also able to obtain personal information.

Some report emails with a link they clicked on and found themselves with a hacker inside their computer.

A common method used to fool older residents is to call claiming to be a grandchild or other relative who needs help immediately.

Locals have been fooled by romance scams, holiday scams, charity scams, adoption scams and more.

The FBI recommends individuals take the following precautions to protect themselves:

• Avoid untrustworthy websites and ads. Avoid downloading free software, such as the VPN applications listed above, and do not click on pop-up ads from untrusted websites. Interacting with these pages often initiates malware installation on your device.
• Ignore suspicious emails. Phishing emails are one of the top techniques used to infiltrate a device. Be leery of emails that ask you to open an attachment or follow a link.
• Use antivirus software. Antivirus software can detect and remove malware that is used to create botnets. Keep your software up to date to ensure it can detect the most recent threats.
• If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
• If you are told you have to take action immediately, it is likely a scam.
• If you are told to buy gift cards to pay a debt, it is a scam.
• If you are directed to make cryptocurrency payments to your employer as part of a job, it's  a scam.
• A job description that uses the term "optimization" and involves relatively simple tasks is likely a scam.
• An online employer does not require any references as part of the hiring process is a red flag.

The Federal Trade Commission offers the following advice:

1. Scammers PRETEND to be from an organization you know.

Scammers often pretend to be contacting you on behalf of the government. They might use a real name, like the FTC, Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare, or make up a name that sounds official. Some pretend to be from a business you know, like a utility company, a tech company, or even a charity asking for donations.

They use technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID. So the name and number you see might not be real.

2. Scammers say there’s a PROBLEM or a PRIZE.

They might say you’re in trouble with the government. Or you owe money. Or someone in your family had an emergency. Or that there’s a virus on your computer.

Some scammers say there’s a problem with one of your accounts and that you need to verify some information.

Others will lie and say you won money in a lottery or sweepstakes but have to pay a fee to get it.

3. Scammers PRESSURE you to act immediately.

Scammers want you to act before you have time to think. If you’re on the phone, they might tell you not to hang up so you can’t check out their story.

They might threaten to arrest you, sue you, take away your driver’s or business license, or deport you. They might say your computer is about to be corrupted.

4. Scammers tell you to PAY in a specific way.

They often insist that you can only pay by using cryptocurrency, wiring money through a company like MoneyGram or Western Union, using a payment app, or putting money on a gift card and then giving them the numbers on the back of the card.

Some will send you a check (that will later turn out to be fake), then tell you to deposit it and send them money.

You can help avoid these scams by

• blocking unwanted texts and calls.
• refraining from giving out personal information to anyone unless you initiated contact.
• Resisting pressure to act immediately.
• Never pay with cryptocurrency, wire transfer, payment app or a gift card, and never deposit a check and send money back to the person.

One of the most important things you can do to protect yourself is to step back, take time to think and speak to someone you trust. Never act in haste.

After notifying local law enforcement, victims are encouraged to contact the FBI to file a complaint. This can be done on their website at https://www.ic3.gov/Home/ComplaintChoice.