Recent uptick in cybercrime has Lincoln authorities on high alert

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Authorities in Lincoln and surrounding areas are investigating a recent uptick in cyber crime.

The Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office said they’ve had more than a dozen cyber crime reports in just the past two weeks.

In the past year, over $250,000 has been stolen in scams alone.

While it’s not clear what could be the spike in these trends, Jason Levine, a systems administrator with Soarin Group, says a lot of this is happening because more and more people are online.

“When they get caught doing one thing, they start doing more,” said Levine. “We’re online so much more in the past 10 years. Especially with shopping online that has increased so much more.”

On April 1, the sheriff’s office first reported a scam alert text going out asking if you’ve driven through a toll recently, while phishing for your money and personal info.

On Friday, the Lincoln Police Department technical investigations unit reported an uptick in Facebook marketplace scams.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln Police report uptick in scams involving Facebook Marketplace

When a scam goes down, authorities said the victim will communicate with the seller, usually through messenger, about buying an item.

Then, the seller requests a down payment to hold the item and will want the money sent through a payment app. The ad is usually taken down a short time later.

Lincoln Police offers a designated swap spot at their northeast substation near 27th and Holdrege streets. There, you can complete your transaction in a safe and public spot.