Be wary of phone scams asking for personal identifying information. Go to www.consumer.ftc.gov for more info
The Jackson Police Department regularly receives calls about phone scams. We are all potential targets for scammers. While their crime isn’t generally limited to race, gender, age, education, or income, they seem to concentrate on our older citizens. They are often targeted because the caller assumes they may live alone, have a nest egg, or may be more polite toward strangers.
http://liarcatchers.com/identity_theft_investigation.html
Recently a caller reported they were contacted by a foreign sounding person who represented himself as being associated with the Social Security Administration and stating they were verifying information to send out new Medicare/Medicaid cards. The reportee became suspicious when the “Social Security Administration” needed to know her social security number.
Beware of anyone who calls you unsolicited, especially if you are on the Do Not Call Registry and represents themselves as your bank, your credit card company, a government agency, etc. These entities already have your information… they find you every month with no problem. But, these telephone scammers are good at what they do. They will try to convince you if you let them. They may seem very friendly — even calling you by your first name, making small talk, and asking about your family. These are ploys to ease your suspicions. They get the data they can from public records or on line about you and use it to give themselves credibility.
Be especially wary of anyone who says you have won anything – especially money – and telling you that they need your credit card or a money order or a wire transfer for processing fees. Also be wary if you are advertising something for sale where the caller wants to send you a check for more than the purchase price with instructions for you to deposit it and send the overage to them or someone else for whatever reason. Count on it, the check is counterfeit and your account will take the hit for the loss. Many work at home scams work this way as well.
The Federal Trade Commission has excellent resources to help us to protect ourselves and to recover if we have been victimized by identity thieves. Go to http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/ for more tips and information.
National Do Not Call Registry https://www.donotcall.gov/ or by calling the registry’s toll-free number (1-888-382-1222)
