With the holiday season quickly approaching, the Simi Valley Police Department would like to notify the public about two scams. Here’s how they work:
Scam One: You receive a telephone call notifying you that you are eligible to receive a $100.00 gift card good at Wal-Mart or Target stores. In order to receive the $100.00 gift card you must call a toll-free number that the caller gives you and provide a credit card number to pay for shipping and handling fees. Once your credit card information is received, you do not receive the $100.00 gift card and later find out that your credit card was illegally used on a spending spree.
Scam Two: You receive a check from a “company” and are directed to cash it and wire and/or send a portion of the check amount back to the “company. Within a short amount of time, you learn from the bank that the check is not valid and that the bank is now charging your account for the amount of the cashed check.
Here are some ways to avoid becoming a victim of a credit card or check scam:
• If you receive a check and are asked to cash it and wire or send a portion back, stop! If you are not expecting a check from anyone, do not cash one from a business or person that you don’t know. When a check is issued, legitimate companies do not ask for people to send them a portion of the money back.
• If you receive a call or mailer claiming that you have just won a contest and in order for you to receive the prize you must send money or provide credit card information, be suspicious. Research the legitimacy of the prize company. Generally, there is no money exchanged to receive a prize.
• If you receive a call or mailer notifying you that in order to receive a prize you must provide your social security number, personal banking or financial information to pay taxes, stop! If you provide your personal information it can be used fraudulently.
If you believe you have been contacted by a scammer or are a victim of a scam, contact your local police department and file a complaint with the National Fraud Information Center at www.fraud.org. Your information may help others and will be useful.
For additional crime prevention information contact Crime Prevention Specialist Jean-Marie Maroshek at (805) 586-6276 or [email protected]
