City of Ferndale staff recently alerted neighbors about another phone scam making the rounds trying to separate victims from their money.
According to city staff,
“Ferndale Police report there is a phone scam making the rounds today. The caller tells the victim that a family member has been in a car crash, and is currently held captive. They then ask for money.”
Phone scams take on various forms including this one Ferndale Police warned about in 2015,
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Click for more information“Beware the needy relative scam! There are many variations of this phone scam, but one that recently hit Ferndale came to a local senior from a blocked number and the caller pretended to be the granddaughter of the intended victim. The ‘grandchild’ claimed to be in jail in Niagara Falls needing bail money wired to her. Luckily our resident was too savvy to be conned and did not get taken in by this scam.”
Video courtesy Federal Trade Commission
Bellingham Police recently issued a similar warning with the advice,
“Police urge you to telephone the loved one in question first to determine their welfare, to NOT wire funds or give over money and to contact your local law enforcement agency to report the incident.”
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Click for more informationAccording the Better Business Bureau, this scam also has also been attempted in reverse, where the ‘grandparent’ calls their grandchild pleading for help. “Thanks to social media sites, scammers can offer plausible stories and incorporate nicknames and real travel plans into the con to convince their targets.”
Other recently reported phone scams include:
- threatening the victim with arrest for failing to report for jury duty unless they provide immediate payment. Sometimes the scammer will ‘spoof’ their caller ID making it appear they are calling from a law enforcement agency.
- threatening the victim with their utilities (e.g. electricity) being immediately shut off unless they make a payment.
Tips provided by the BBB to avoid such scams include:
- Never send money to someone you have never met face-to-face.
- Be cautious about what you share on social media and consider only connecting with people you already know.
- Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media, even at your front door.
- Don’t be pressured to act immediately.