“There are a lot of scammers who make phone calls and make people think they`re a big company or that they owe them money,” said Hilda Martínez, president of the Better Business Bureau. In response, I always get these calls. by Kittez There are other options to block calls listed under www.FTC.gov/Calls. The scam: An automated call or email claiming that your credit card has been charged by Amazon or that you have an outstanding balance in your account. The scammer asks people to call them to get a refund or resolve the charges, after which they ask for your card number and attempt to remotely access your computer. You may also receive an SMS or email claiming that you have a package, but they need to verify your information. In response to There are other calls blocked by FTC employees The scam: You receive a phone call, email, or email claiming you`ve won money or a prize — but there`s a catch: You have to pay money upfront for taxes or fees. Sometimes the bet involves a realistic-looking fake check. The cheque bounces back and no “profit” is ever distributed. Often they claim to be clearing house publishers. Scammers may also claim to offer government grants or stimulus money by contacting them via social media. What to do: Make your transactions in cash and preferably in person.
If they refuse to meet in person or talk on the phone, ignore them and stop communicating. How to spot the scam: Legitimate customer service information usually doesn`t appear as a pop-up. Companies like Microsoft, Apple, and Google won`t call you to let you know about malware on your computer. The scam: Scammers pose as debt collectors or law enforcement agencies and say that legal action will be taken against you if you don`t pay them what you owe. Some may claim to be trusted companies or the government, such as utilities or the IRS. Vermonters filed 5,021 fraud reports with the Attorney General`s Consumer Assistance Program (PAB) in 2020. Social Security number phishing scams, which typically involve making calls claiming your Social Security number has been compromised, suspended, or linked to criminal activity, remained the most frequently reported scam for the second year in a row, with 1,160 reports reported. Number two on the list of top ten scams in 2020 was “free money” scams. Six hundred and eighty-three Vermonters said they received fraudulent “free money” calls telling them they had won a prize or money and had to pay fees or taxes upfront to get them back. While fraud attempts remain high, Attorney General T.J.
Donovan urged Vermonters to take their time: scammers will pressure you to act quickly, demanding personal information and payments, while threatening extreme consequences if you don`t comply. Don`t let yourself be put under pressure! If you answer a call and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, it`s an automated call, and it`s probably a scam designed to trick you into giving away your personal information or money. Do not call back or provide personal information over the phone unless you have initiated the call to a number that you know is reliable. What to do: Hang up the phone, and when they call again, let the call go to voicemail. If you think you actually owe money to a debt collector or other agency, be sure to call with a trusted number. How to spot the scam: If Social Security (or an official agency) wanted to contact you, they wouldn`t call you to ask for your personal information, especially your Social Security number, over the phone. These agencies send emails and would never threaten you to get information or payments over the phone. Many people are having trouble sleeping, because of the pandemic and all the parts of our lives that affect them. And it doesn`t help if you get a call saying you owe money to the government. Oh, and, they add, you`ll go to jail if you don`t pay right away. It`s a scam and nothing to lose sleep.
For those who are a little more cut off from people than usual, these calls may seem more real and disturbing than they are. If you know someone might be cut off from others, contact them to make sure they know these calls are scams. If someone calls and claims to be from the FTC, please let us know. Report the www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Thank you very much. The scam: There are a variety of fake relationship scams. Sometimes the scammer pretends to be someone you know, such as a lover, friend, relative, or even a religious leader. They usually contact you online or by phone and claim they need money. You can find articles about government scammers in Spanish on consumidor.ftc.gov. A Michigan consumer sent us this voice message he recently received: “From the seat, which will expire in the next 24 business hours. And once it expires, you will be taken into custody by the local police, because at that time, four serious charges are laid against your name. We ask that you contact us so that we can discuss this matter before taking legal action against you.
Unfortunately, many fraudulent encounters in Vermont result in financial losses. In 2020, 249 Vermonters lost a total of about $1.5 million to fraudsters. The most common scams associated with losing money were scams (scammers posing as friends, family members, or romantic interests) and online classifieds (scams on sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace).
