Full Notification

Due to an increase in reported identity thefts and fraud, the New Castle Police Department wants to remind you to protect yourself from having your personal information compromised.
The most common reports we receive include social security, phishing, and unemployment scams.

• Social Security scams: Criminals will pretend to be from the Social Security Administration and try to make people tell them their social security number over the phone.
• Phone Scams: Phone scams come in many forms, but they tend to make similar promises and threats or ask you to pay in certain ways.
• Phishing scams: Using email and/or text messages to elicit personal information.
• Unemployment Benefit scams: False claims for unemployment benefits. These have increased significantly due to the number of people who are currently jobless from the pandemic.

Although these are common scams, criminals are constantly changing their methods and will target people who are more susceptible to give out their personal information. The elderly are frequent victims of these scams.
Scammers will also use current events to gain personal information or monetary gain. Families and victims of COVID-19 have been targeted by imposters who attempt to obtain payments for funeral costs, medical bills, or past due utility bills. There have also been reports of false vaccine surveys that try to collect personal information. Make sure to verify who you are providing this information to.
How to spot a scam:

• You are contacted out of the blue by someone claiming to be from a government agency, charity, or tech company.
• You are told that you’ll go to jail, lose your job, or somehow face humiliation if you fail to make “required” payments (none of which they can accomplish legally).
• You are required to send money upfront in order to receive a prize.
• You are asked to send money via a wire transfer or “reload pack.”
• You are asked to provide personal or financial information.
• You are asked to keep it a secret.
• You are asked to act quickly.
• You receive payment in the form of a cashier’s check or money order.
• It sounds too good to be true.

There are several ways that you can protect yourself. They include the following:

• Try not to act immediately and get a second opinion if you feel suspicious.
• If you question who is contacting you, don’t give them any private information
• If something doesn’t seem right, tell the person you’re not interested. Don’t be afraid to hang up the phone, or to not respond to future calls, text messages or emails from the person.
• Do some research.  A simple Internet search can sometimes yield a lot of information, including consumer reviews, complaints, and other postings
• Shred personal paperwork and information. Criminals can go through trash to get information.
• Retrieve mail regularly so criminals will not be able to search for your information through your documents.
• Avoid clicking on links/messages from unknown sources. Malware may be downloaded onto your device which gives access to hackers. Anti-virus/anti-spy software may be preventative.
• Monitor your credit and bank statements for any unusual activity
• Never make payments through gift cards or wire transfer money to someone you don’t know.
• Don’t trust websites or emails through logos or slogans. These can be mimicked by criminals.
• Use caution while dealing with someone you’ve met online, such as social media, Craigslist, etc.
• Be careful while online shopping. Make sure you use traceable and secure transactions.
• Use strong passwords and change them frequently.
• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software.

If you are the victim of identity theft:
 

• File a report with your local Police Department
• Contact the Department of Labor Fraud Hotline to report identity theft at 1-888-598-2077 or fill out a form online at https://dol.ny.gov/report-fraud
• Contact the Social Security Administration Office. They may refer you to the Inspector General at 1-800-269-0271 to file a report of fraud, or fill out this form online:  https://secure.ssa.gov/pfrf/home.  Additional tips and resources at the SSA can be found here: https://www.ssa.gov/antifraudfacts/
• Contact the Federal Trade Commission to file an identity theft claim at 1-877-438-4338 or visit them online at https://www.identitytheft.gov/?utm_source=takeaction
• Contact your banks and credit agencies, and alert them of the fraud incident
• Check all of your bank and credit card accounts for fraudulent activity
• Change the passwords to all online accounts. Passwords should be complex and you should not use the same password for multiple accounts, especially those that contain personal or financial information.

James D. Carroll
Chief of Police