Scammers claiming to be Publisher’s Clearing House representatives are targeting Beaver County residents in higher numbers, District Attorney Dave Lozier warned on Monday.
Older adults and other vulnerable populations are often at the receiving end of these scams, designed to separate victims from large sums of money. As early as last Thursday, a county resident received an official-looking letter and fraudulent $10,000 check from a well-known company.
These letters often claim the person has won money from the fabricated “International Lotto Commission.” If the person calls the phone number listed on the letter, scammers ask for personal information or promise to pay advances on the “winnings,” Lozier said.
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When the victim deposits the check or tries to cash it, he or she will be forced to repay the bank in full once it bounces. The scammer could obtain account information once the check bounces, too, and will later try to clean out the caller’s bank accounts. Law enforcement can’t prosecute these crimes because the scammers reside outside of the United States.
Lozier’s advice for potential targets:
- Every older adult should have caller ID on their home phone line. Don’t ever pick up the phone if you do not recognize the phone number or name of the caller. If it’s a real caller they will leave a message and you can return the call.
- If you do answer the phone and don’t know the person, hang up. Do not identify yourself. Do not give any information at all.
- If you have a question about a caller or a scam, ask a friend or relative who is internet savvy to look it over.
- The federal government, Social Security Administration, IRS and Microsoft will never ever call you on the phone.
- No legitimate caller or lottery company will ask you to get a gift card to pay a fee over the phone. It’s a scam.
April 13, 2021 at 12:39AM
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Lozier warns of “sophisticated” scams targeting residents - The Times
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