Phone Scams

The following information was provided by the Federal Trade Commission:

Phone scams come in many forms, but they tend to make similar promises or threats, or ask you to pay certain ways.  Here’s how to recognize some common phone scams:

• There is no prize
  
  • The caller might say you were “selected” for an offer or that you’ve won a lottery.  However, if you have to pay to get the prize, it’s not a prize.
• You won’t be arrested
  
  • Scammers might pretend to be law enforcement or a federal agency.  They might say you’ll be arrested, fined or deported if you don’t pay taxes or some other debt immediately.  Their goal is to scare you into paying.  However, real law enforcement and federal agencies won’t call and threaten you.
• You don’t need to decide now
  
  • Most legitimate businesses will give you time to think their offer over and give you written information about the offer before asking you to commit.  Take your time.  Don’t get pressured into making a decision on the spot.
• Government agencies aren’t calling to confirm sensitive information
  
  • It’s never a good idea to give out sensitive information, like your Social Security Number, to someone who calls you unexpectedly, even if they say they are with the Social Security Administration or the IRS.

If you receive one of these calls, simply hang up.  Even if it’s not a scammer, if they are pressuring you than it’s probably not a company with whom you’d want to do business.

Do NOT trust your caller ID.  Scammers can make any name or number appear on your caller ID; this is called spoofing.  Even if the call looks like it’s from a government agency or a local call, it can be coming from anywhere in the world.

What to do if you already paid a scammer

It will be difficult, if not impossible, to get your money back.  However, if you paid a scammer the sooner you act the better.

• If you paid the scammer with a credit or debt card, you may be able to stop the transaction.  Contact your credit card company or bank immediately.  Tell them what happened and ask for a “chargeback” to reverse the charges.
• If you paid a scammer with a gift card, prepaid card, or cash reload card, contact the company that issued the card immediately.  Tell them you paid a scammer with the card and ask if they can refund your money.  Learn more at ftc.gov/giftcards.
• If you paid a scammer with a wire transfer, call the money transfer company immediately to report the fraud and file a complaint.  Ask for the money transfer to be reversed.  It’s unlikely to happen, but it’s important to ask.
• If you paid a scammer using a money transfer app, contact the company behind the app.  If the app is linked to a credit card or debit card, contact your credit card company or bank first.
• If you gave a scammer remote access to your computer, update your computer’s security software.  Then, run a scan and delete anything it identifies as a problem.
• If you gave your username and password to a scammer, change your password immediately.  If you use the same password for other accounts or sites, change it there as well.  Create a new password that is strong.
• If you gave a scammer your Social security Number (SSN), visit identitytheft.gov to learn how to monitor your credit report to see if your SSN is being misused.

If you’ve lost money to a phone scam or have information about the company or scammer who called you, report it at ftc.gov/complaint.

If you didn’t lose money and just want to report a call, you can use a streamlined reporting form at donotcall.gov.

Because many of these scammers originate from outside the country, it is very difficult for West Lampeter Township Police to investigate.  You can best help yourself by not falling for scams.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t true.