Cushing – This morning, Cushing police were made aware of two instances where senior citizens have been the target of unsolicited telephone calls to their home asking questions that could lead to them being scammed.
During one of the telephone calls, the caller, calling from an unknown number, asked the resident about Medicare benefits, where they banked and obtained prescriptions. When the resident resisted the temptation to provide any relevant information, the call was eventually ended.
“The urge to want to cooperate with a caller can be unsuspecting at first,” Deputy Chief Tully Folden said. “Typically, it is not until you realize you have been scammed that you realize what you thought was a harmless telephone call is indeed a bad one. The greatest thing someone can do is hang up the telephone when you receive an unexpected call asking for personal information or any other information that could lead someone to intentionally entice you into becoming a crime victim,” he said.
Cushing police made a special visit to the Cushing Senior Citizen Center only to learn there was another person who had received a similar telephone call this morning. Police urged those in attendance to remain vigilant and hang up if someone calls asking for personal information.
Don’t Get Taken:
-If you get an unexpected telephone call, know that it is okay to hang up if the caller begins to ask for information not typically given over the telephone.
-Get a second opinion. If after talking to someone and you feel you may have given too much information before realizing what you have done, tell someone or call police.
-Never reveal your "vital numbers" – credit card, Social Security, bank account or personal identification numbers (PIN) – to verify an account or to claim a prize, to become eligible for a low-cost vacation or for any other fabulous offers. If it is too good to be true, it probably is!
Anyone with questions or think they may have been scammed is encouraged to call the police department at (918) 225-1212.
