With the cheer of the holiday season also comes the scammers.
The LATEST scam is the Police Officers Defense Fund. DO NOT GIVE THEM ANY BANK ACCOUNT OR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION. We are seeing reports of people being scammed out of $5,000 and more!
THE IRS AND THE SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION WILL NOT CALL YOU. They communicate via registered mail and your social security cannot be suspended.
And…
LEGITIMATE BUSINESSES WILL NEVER ASK YOU TO PAY IN GIFT CARDS. That is a big red flag.
If something doesn’t seem right trust your instincts and hang up. If you engage with them, they tend to get pretty nasty so hanging up is the best option. They are very tenacious as their whole plan is to frustrate you until you give in and give them the information they are looking for.
The best preventative measures are usually word of mouth so talk with your family, friends and neighbors and let them know that these are scam calls, especially the elderly, as that is who they like to target.
Feel free to contact the Coloma Township Police Department if you are not sure and we can help determine if it legitimate or a scam.
The Coloma Township Police Department wants you to stay safe and scam free this holiday season!