Local law enforcement warn phone and other scams continue to be a problem in Central Minnesota and across the country, and encourages residents to be aware of the numerous types and what they can do to protect themselves.
One of the most frequent phone scams is the IRS scam, which can take many different forms and occurs throughout the year, not just during tax season. The most common are phone calls and emails from criminals pretending to be from the IRS saying a person owes money and must pay immediately, or that a refund is owed and bank account information is needed.
The real IRS will always send taxpayers a bill in the mail as a first step, and never demand payment without allowing a person to first question or appeal the amount owed.
They never require taxes be paid a certain way, such as with a prepaid debit card, never ask for credit card information over the phone, and don’t threaten lawsuits or arrest from local law enforcement.
Another scam reported recently is the family emergency scam. In these scams, people receive phone calls from criminals posing as family or friends asking to have money or gift cards sent to them because of an emergency situation, such as needing bail money, paying a medical bill or help in leaving a foreign country.
Before sending money, authorities urge the public to first verify the emergency by asking questions a stranger couldn’t know the answer to, calling the actual phone number for that friend or family member, and checking with other people who know the person the money is supposedly for.
To trick the public into thinking they’re someone local or someone they trust, such as a bank or police department, scammers often use fake caller ID information.
Because of this, law enforcement urges residents not to rely on caller ID to verify who’s calling. Hang up if feeling pressured to act immediately, as that’s a sure sign of a scam.
Never give out or confirm your personal or financial information to a caller, and never wire money or send it using a reloadable card to someone who calls out of the blue.
Another sign a call is a scam is if a person is signed up for the National Do Not Call Registry and is still getting unwanted calls. Companies ignoring the registry are often scammers, and calls from them should be reported to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).
Other options for limiting unwanted calls include downloading call blocking apps on cell phones, using the call blocking features many mobile phones have built into them, and using cloud-based services to block calls for cell phones.
Phone service carriers typically have call blocking solutions for all types of phones, including landline, cable, internet and mobile devices.
Along with phone scams, ransomware is also on the rise. The ransomware scam works by using malware to disable victims’ computers until they pay a “ransom” to restore access.
Online users will see a message such as “This operating system has been locked for security reasons,” and discover they are unable to access their computer.
Criminals often trick victims into paying by using phony messages from local law enforcement with warnings such as, “You have browsed illicit material and must pay a fine.”
Authorities advise the public to have security software installed and keep it up to date, and make sure to use the full set of protection features offered.
All software should also be kept up to date, including the operating system, browser and all plug-ins typically used.
Facebook is another place scammers target the public. One such scam that has been around for a while is the Facebook airline ticket scam, where a post claims an airline is giving away free flights or other big offers.
Clicking on these links can expose everything on the user’s computer or mobile device to the scammer.
If something sounds too good to be true it probably is. To see if it’s a real offer visit the company’s webpage directly.
New scams are continually being created. The best way to protect oneself is to be aware of them and never give out personal information via phone or email.
