CRIME PREVENTION ADVISORY
DON’T BE A VICTIM OF PHONE SCAMS
On Tuesday 3/6/12, Calaveras Sheriff received a report from a county resident who was scammed out of approximately $2,600. The victim received a phone call from a subject who sounded like their grandson. The victim was told that their grandson had caused a vehicle accident, was now in jail in Canada, and needed money wired to them. This incident serves as a reminder to beware of phone scams and stay vigilant not giving identifying information over the phone or sending money without verifying the validity of claims.
The scam for this particular case is known as the "It's me" scam. The perpetrator calls up an elderly person pretending to be a relative in distress in need of some quick cash, and asks that money be transferred into a phony bank account or wired to a location. The perpetrators usually start with “it’s me” or “it’s your favorite grandchild”, and many victims try and guess who is on the phone by using a name. The perpetrators use this as well as any other information they have found through public searches on the Internet to prey on victims. Typically, the scam artists continue and say because of an accident or problem with the family car, they need money wired to them by Western Union. Another tactic used often is perpetrators who state they are in jail and then put on another subject on the telephone who either acts as a lawyer or bail bondsman asking for money to be sent to pay for the accident or to get the supposed family member out of custody. Perpetrators have been known to beg or ask the victim not to tell other family members for fear of embarrassment or getting in trouble, but again this is a tactic used by criminals to try and stop victims from figuring the scam out. Phone scammers are very good at what they do.
Citizens should never blindly follow the directions of people who call them on the phone and always verify claims before wiring money. If people tell you they are in custody in a jail, then find out the name of the facility and call that facility to confirm if the subject is indeed in custody.
If you feel that you have become victim of a phone or telemarketing scam, report this information to your local law enforcement, the state Attorney General, and the Federal Trade Commission. For more information and to learn about common telemarketing scams and how to avoid them visit: http://www.ftc.gov/phonefraud
