Police warn against mail, phone scams

Friday, March 4, 2011

The Nevada Police Department has received several calls from citizens concerned about possible mail fraud and is warning Nevadans to be cautious about responding to any unsolicited mail or phone calls they receive.

Information provided by the police department says most mail scams involve a bogus check, often included, and request that the recipient either:

* Cash the check, purchase items and keep a percentage, returning the remaining amount to the sender.

* Cash the supplied check to pay taxes on large amounts of winnings

* Cash the supplied check and conduct a "secret shopper" type of activity.

Once the check has been deposited, scammers get the victim's bank account information when the bank processes the check. Then, the scammers withdraw money from the victim's account electronically; the account owner is often responsible for repaying the check amount and often loses money twice.

In another popular scam, the NPD said, the victim is contacted by someone claiming to be a family member who has been jailed and needs money wired to them for bail.

Phone scams begin with some sort of "good news" for the recipient of the call, such as a claim that they've won a lottery, have unclaimed money waiting for them to claim it, are needed as a secret shopper, or some other reason for the contact -- then the caller asks for personal information for "verification," for tax purposes or for direct deposit. The police department warns that "Once the information is provided, the caller has stolen your identity and can freely withdraw money from your accounts, open credit card accounts and any other business you would do requiring your personal information, electronically," a situation that can lead to a difficult financial situation that could take months or years to correct.

Another popular scam is conducted in person by people who drive nice vehicles with business names on them, adding to the appearance of legitimacy. The scammers often offer a variety of construction activities, such as driveway repair, roofing, lightning rod installation and so forth. These scammers say they have leftover materials from another project, and offer reduced prices, preferring immediate payment by cash or check. If allowed to do the work, several vehicles and people arrive quickly, work quickly, take payment and disappear. Work is often shoddy and may cost hundreds to repair.

To help consumers avoid this kind of scam, the Nevada Police Department recommends:

* Always be skeptical of contractors who approach you for work; legitimate contractors do not normally go door-to-door asking for work.

* Ask to see a city license.

* If in doubt, call the police -- a licensed contractor will understand your concerns.

* Watch for high pressure sales and one-day-only deals.

The police department reminds citizens that, "If you receive a letter in the mail, a phone call or are approached by contractors, unsolicited, do not give any personal information, do not give them money and do not confront them. Contact police immediately.

To report a possible scam or other criminal activity, call (417) 448-2710 or the department's TIPS Hotline at (417) 448-5117.

Comments
Respond to this story

Posting a comment requires free registration: