Cable One Warns of Phishing Scam

Cable One has issued a warning about a phishing scam.

You may receive an email that says your account is due and needs to be upgraded in order to avoid being disconnected.

You are urged not to click on the link in the email or to give them your account information.

This is a scam.

BBB Warns About Phone Scam

The Better Business Bureau is warning about a telephone scam where computers are calling thousands of cell phones, letting them ring once and then hanging up.

The BBB says if you call back, you’re charged $19.95 and put on hold. If you stay on the line, you get charged another nine dollars a minute.

Experts say don’t return calls to numbers you don’t know. Don’t pick up the phone if you don’t know the number.

If you get scammed, contact your phone provider right away.

Globe PD Warns of Telephone Scams

The Globe Police Department is warning residents about a recent rise in the number of scam telephone calls.

In one scam, callers tell you that you have won some sort of sweepstakes and they request a processing or insurance fee in order to send you your money.

Another scam involves a caller telling you that there is a problem with social security services and they ask you to confirm your social security number or your name and address.

A caller may also pose as a law enforcement officer and tell you that there is a warrant for your arrest. To avoid arrest, they ask for money to be paid with a credit card or wire transfer.

Also watch out for emails with offers that are too good to be true. You may receive an email that includes a link to a a web page that is identical to one of a  legitimate business. They get your personal information when you make a purchase.

To reduce the chances of becoming a victim, confirm who you are talking to before you give any information about yourself or your finances. If you are in doubt, look up the number of the company or government agency that claims to be calling you and call them back yourself to confirm their identity. With technology, phone scammers can disguise their numbers to display on your caller ID in whatever form they choose.

The recent scams appear to be targeting the elderly so they are probably researching potential victims on the internet before calling them. Most of these calls originate overseas which makes them difficult to investigate and almost impossible to prosecute.

If you receive a call that you believe to be a scam or if you become the victim of a telephone scam, you are encouraged to report this to your local law enforcement agency so that they are aware and the incident can be documented.

Telephone Scam Claims to be Confirmed By Sheriff's Office

The Gila County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a telephone scam in which a caller claims to be from Publishers Clearing House. The caller tells you that you have won prize money, but to claim it you have to send them money. In one example, a request for $1,800 was made to receive a grand prize of $6,000,000.

These calls are showing up on caller ID with the Gila County Sheriff’s Office phone number. A man identifying himself as Sheriff Shepherd may attempt to confirm that the prize money is from Publishers Clearing House.

Please be cautious of any call asking for money in exchange for prizes. Also, be aware that the Sheriff’s Office does not call and confirm prize winnings or request money to be turned over to someone on their behalf.

Do not give any personal information to the caller. If the calls persist contact the Sheriff’s Office at 425-4449.

Horne and the FTC Warn About Affordable Care Act Scams

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne and the Federal Trade Commission have issued a warning that scam artists are taking advantage of the publicity surrounding the US Supreme Court’s decision on the Affordable Care Act.

The FTC says scam artists claiming to work for the government call under the pretense that the Afordable Care Act  requires you to give them personal information. In some cases, the caller may ask for a bank routing number, credit card information, Social Secirity number or other personal data.

Remember that no government program ever requires you to give personal information over the telephone.

Globe PD Warns of Telephone Scam

The Globe Police Department is warning the public about a telephone scam.

If you receive a telephone call telling you that one of your family members or friends has been arrested in Mexico or any other foreign country, this is most likely a scam. The caller tells you that the family member needs a certain amount of money to be bonded out of jail. This is usually in the thousands of dollars.

Don’t give out any banking information, including debit or credit card numbers. Do not obtain money orders, cashier checks or Western Union money transfers without first contacting your local Police Department.

Beware of Charity Scams

Public News Service reports that scam artists are out in full force during the holiday season.

American Cancer Society Estate and Assets Services Director Jo Rosen says be sure to check out an unfamiliar charity before donating. Reputable charities are more than happy to give potential donors all of the information they need. Also, organizations such as Charity Navigator and the Better Business Bureau post information—including the percentage of donation dollars that is actually spent on direct services.

For charity information visit charitynavigator.org.

Phishing Scam Claims to Be From Netflix

TheConsumerist.com is warning consumers about an email phishing scam that tries to get information by asking you to send in credit card information.

The email claims to be from Netflix and says there is a problem with your credit card. A .zip file is attached to the email and the message asks you to download the file, then enter credit card information into the file.

Remember that no reputable business will ask for personal information in an email.

Horne and FBI Warn of Car Sales Scam

Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne has joined with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center to issue a warning about a car sales scam. In this scam, criminals list cars for sale online at very low prices. When a buyer shows interest, the supposed seller says the price is low because he needs cash immediately to pay for medical expenses or for some other urgent need.

The buyer is then told that the transaction will be handled by a legtimate online auction site, such as eBay. But the scammers actually create a fake look-alike site and send invoices that appear legitimate. They instruct the buyer to wire payment through a wire service or a bank transfer. The buyer is then left with no vehicle and loses all of the money to the scam artist.

For more information about this scam click here or here.

BBB Warns Consumers About Potential for Fire-Related Charity Scams

The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about bogus charities that could be set up pretending to help fire victims. Many scam artists will try to contact consumers and businesses by phone, mail, or door to door and use high pressure sales tactics to get donations.

The Better Business Bureau suggests that you make sure that the charity you are contributing to is the one you think it is. Scam artists often use names that sound very similar to mainstream relief organizations.

Make sure the organization is experienced in disaster relief. There are many logistics involved with getting relief to victims, and you’ll want to select charities that have proven track records handling those situations.

Don’t write a check to an individual unless you know the person well. Make checks out to the actual relief organization.

If donating online, search the Website to make sure that the charity has a physical address on the site and that you’re using a secure site when entering account information. A Website is secure if an “s” is located at the end of the “http” in the URL.

Beware of Japan Disaster Scams

The Arizona Attorney General’s Office is warning Arizonans to beware of relief scams following the Japan disaster. Attorney General Tom Horne says consumers should only make contributions to reputable, established charitable organizations.

Be skeptical of anyone who asks for a donation by requesting your credit card number or bank account number over the phone.

When in doubt about an organization, call the Secretary of State’s Office or visit their website to make sure the charity is registered with the Secretary of State.

E-Mail Scam

The Gila County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens about an email scam. The scam involves sending an email asking the victim to become a mystery shopper for local businesses. The victim then receives a check for $2700. A letter with the check says to cash the check, keep $200 and send the rest to an overseas location through Western Union. The Sheriff’s Office reminds you to be suspicious of any request to cash checks and send money.

Learn more:
Consumer Fraud Reporting: Check Cashing