The Portland Police Bureau and other area law enforcement partners have recently seen an increase in phone scams. During these phone calls, a caller attempts to cause alarm to the person they are calling. They tell the person they may harm an acquaintance if they do not provide the person with a large sum of money in the form of a cashier's check, money order, or traveler's check. The caller tells the person not to call police.
Scare tactic phone scams have been around for many years and in many variations. They have the potential to dupe people into losing thousands of dollars. Police are encouraging everyone to share this message with family and friends who may fall prey to these scams.
The scammers express urgency and can be very convincing in many cases, so much so that victims truly believe the caller is a relative or that a loved one is in danger. In recent years, some scammers are now even hacking into social media accounts and will direct message friends and family with a similar and urgent need for emergency money.
The Portland Police Bureau would like to remind community members of the following tips to avoid these scams:
- Don't send money. Never wire money out of the country to persons unknown. This includes buying reloadable Visa cards or gift cards.
- Be skeptical. Ask questions that only family members would know - like pet names or favorite foods - without revealing too much personal information.
- Verify information. Check with family members to confirm the locations of children or grandchildren.
- Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites.
- Contact the police if you receive a call that causes you concern for someone's safety and are told the only remedy is to send money and not contact the police.
- Know where to turn. Victims suffering a financial loss should report incidents to local law enforcement agencies and the Oregon Attorney General's Office, Department of Justice.
The Oregon Department of Justice has a tremendous amount of information and resources available to protect consumers. Information can be found by visiting http://www.doj.state.or.us/Pages/index.aspx
For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Scam Alert website www.consumer.ftc.gov/scam-alerts