Fraud can occur in many ways. Scams can occur face to face, over the phone or on the internet. Certain scams include someone calling you on your cellphone from certain area codes and letting it ring twice and hanging up. If you return the call, you are billed for an expensive international call. In another creative scam, a person calls and represents themselves as working for the phone company. The person says in order to check your line you need to press a certain code on your phone to give them access to your line. This code you enter gives the person unlimited access to your line and they rack up a high bill for you to pay. If you are contacted by someone requesting money, please verify the identity of the person you are dealing with. Some of these scammers are extremely convincing! Due to the volume of current scams involving Western Union, please be very cautious in utilizing their services.
One of our Town residents recently received a letter in the mail that is similar to the email scams that many of us are familiar with. The email scam involves you receiving an email in which the scammer states that there is a large sum of money in a foreign account and they want to list you as the beneficiary. When you contact them, you will have to pay a large fee to facilitate the transaction. When you pay the fee, you will never hear from them again. Always remember, if it sounds to good to be true.....it most likely is not true! It would be illegal for a banker or anybody to list you and create false documentation that you are entitled to money that is not yours. Contact the police department if you are contacted in reference to something suspicious.
Read this letter received by a resident and never get taken in by this scam!
The following documents explain some of these scams in detail and how to protect yourself. Please take time to familiarize yourself with all of these scams.
- Green Dot Scams
- FCC Long Distance Scams
- ID Theft Victim Kit
- Foreclosure Rescue Scams
- ID Theft Brochure
- ID Theft Pamphlet
- International Financial Scams Brochure
- Lottery Scams
- Nigerian Scams
- Online Safety
- Work at Home Scams