The Prescott Valley Police Department is reminding residents that phone scammers are common, and they often prey on people’s generosity or fear. There’s a chance that the IRS agent calling you on the phone isn’t really from the government. The IRS almost always makes its first contact via the mail, and it will never demand payment over the phone. The person collecting disaster relief funds may actually be lining their own pockets.
Scammers are very good at what they do, having perfected their pitch and using spoof numbers to make calls look legitimate on caller ID. However, you’ll know it’s a scam if the person on the other end of the phone demands payments via gift cards or wire transfers. Requests for sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, birthdates, and passwords should also be red flags.
While scammers use many scenarios, here are ten common phone scams currently making the rounds:
- Threatening calls from the IRS
- Technical support calls
- Fake charity appeals
- Lottery scams
- Family members in peril
- Bank fraudcalls
- Insurance, health care, and debt scams
- Website password requests
- Fake customer requests
- Other urgent requests
Prescott Valley Police Detectives advise that if you receive a phone call you do not recognize, don’t answer it, and let the caller leave a message. If the phone number looks familiar and the caller is asking questions of a personal nature, don’t provide the information – hang up. If the caller is asking for gift cards or money, it’s a scam – hang up.
If you were scammed or think you saw a scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.
