Don’t let scam artists wreck your holiday
The Christmas holiday is fast approaching, so get ready for an abundance of goodwill and, unfortunately, some bad will in the form of scams. It is one time of the year when scammers work extra hard to rob good people of their savings.
Franklin County Sheriff Shannon Oliver said his department has already had to deal with one scam that cost a local resident $18,500.
The resident received a call from a scammer offered to help the victim get out of debt if the resident would send the caller
$500. “That went on 18 times,” Oliver said. “The person kept sending money thinking they were getting out of debt.”
When the victim finally stopped taking calls from the scammer, the scammer called the sheriff’s office claiming to be a family member who was concerned about the victim. “He was so bold he wanted us to do a welfare check and then tell that person to call him,” Shannon said.
The sheriff added his staff has been alerted to romance scams where the scammer would eventually request monetary help for medical bills, or threats from scammers to release compromising photos on social media if the other party did not meet monetary demands.
Oliver’s office has also received reports of scammers who claim they are deputies who say the would-be victims have missed court dates or own fines and they are urged to pay the fines or fees over the telephone.
“We do not call anyone when it comes to missing a court date,” said Oliver. “We will just come to your house and arrest you.”
The sheriff urged residents not to fall for any type of telephone scam. Instead, he suggested anyone getting such a call should hang up and call local law enforcement immediately.
“If it’s too good to be true, then it probably is,” added Oliver.
Also, those who do some of their shopping online should also be careful during this final week of shopping. According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), there are some websites that are total scams that take your money and don’t send you what you ordered. BBB offers these tips for safe online shopping:
• Know the advertiser. Some of the best deals are only available online but be careful. It’s easy for a fake site to mimic a famous retailer’s website, so make sure you are shopping with a legitimate business. If the site is missing contact information, that is a red flag.
• Check a site’s security settings. If the site is secure, its URL (web address) should start with “https://” and include a lock icon on the purchase or shopping cart page.
• Be a savvy shopper. When shopping online, be sure to take your time, and read the fine print before submitting your order. Look for the return policy; although many online orders can be returned for a full refund, others have restocking fees. Some items cannot be returned. Know before you buy.
• Beware of too-goodto- be-true deals. Offers on websites and in unsolicited emails may offer free or very low prices on hard-tofind items. There may be hidden costs, or your purchase may sign you up for a monthly charge. Look for and read the fine print.
• Shop with a credit card. In case of a fraudulent transaction, a credit card provides additional protections; it’s easier to dispute charges that you didn’t approve. Debit cards, prepaid cards or gift cards don’t have the same protections as a credit card.
• Keep documentation of your order. Save a copy of the confirmation page or email confirmation until you receive the item and are satisfied. Be sure to know and understand the return policy and keep this documented with your purchase records.
Scammers wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a market for them. So don’t become one of their victims.
