Full Notification

Scam Alert! – Phone Scams – Don’t give any information over the telephone.

There have been several incidents of phone scams in the area. Recently people have received phone calls where the criminals have “spoofed” the caller id information. The caller id will falsely indicate that they are calling from government agencies, such as The I.R.S., County Sheriff’s Departments, and local law enforcement agencies. They have also impersonated Microsoft repairs, Alarm companies, and Credit Card and banking institutions. Even our police desk has received these calls.

Do NOT trust the information displayed on your caller id devices. Any legitimate Officer or agency will acknowledge the threat these scammers pose and allow you to return a call to their agency after you investigate their phone numbers. Do not return calls to any “direct line” phone numbers these callers provide. Only call documented and published phone numbers. Please report these incidents your local law enforcement agency. A police report may be required depending on how much information was exchanged during the conversation.

Below is a link to a Time magazine article discussing the prevalence of these crimes.

http://time.com/money/3907235/phone-scams/

This is a list of the most common scams that have been reported in the article.

No. 1. Credit Card rate reduction calls.
No. 2. Home security systems: The caller offers a free home security system, and may mention a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood to frighten the victim into action. But the system is far from free. It comes with expensive long-term monitoring costs or fees.
No. 3. Spam text messages: Victims receive a text saying to call a certain number or check a particular website to win a prize. The message is designed to get you to reveal personal information, or to put malware on your computer.
No. 4. Free cruises: This scam involves calls or texts offering victims a free cruise. They’re pressured into disclosing credit card information to pay for taxes and fees.
No. 5. Government grants: Victims are told they’re receiving a government grant of between $5,000 and $25,000 just for being good citizens. They’re charged hundreds of dollars in “processing fees” and may be asked for their bank account information.
No. 6. Microsoft tech support: The caller claims to be from Microsoft tech support and says your computer is infected with a virus. He’ll request remote access to your computer to fix the problem and then may install malware to steal your personal information. You may be charge for this “service.”
No. 7. Auto insurance: The caller says you’re eligible for a lower auto insurance rate and asks for your personal information, which is used for identity theft.
No. 8. Payday loans: The caller targets those who have applied for a payday loan, claiming to be a debt collector. He’ll demand payment and late fees. You’ll be told to send payment, and you’ll be threatened with arrest if you don’t pay up.
No. 9. IRS scam: This is a quickly growing problem. Someone claiming to be from the IRS says you owe taxes and penalties. If you don’t pay by prepaid card, wire transfer or credit card, you’re threatened with arrest or legal action. Your personal information also may be targeted.
No. 10. Bank scams: The caller claims to be from your bank and says there’s a lock on your account or a hold has been placed on your debit card. You’re asked to verify your financial information, which the bad guys then use.

Additional information is available at the below links.
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0076-phone-scams
http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/feature-0014-identity-theft