Scammer tactics are getting smarter: How to tell if its real or fake
STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – If you own a cell phone, you’ve more than likely gotten a call that was a scam risk. But not all scams are so obvious. Many can be very deceptive.
Sometimes it can be easy to tell when something is fake, but scammer tactics are getting smarter.
No matter if it’s someone cheating you out of your money or stealing your information, area law enforcement agencies are no strangers to these cases.
Departments have even seen scams come in the mail, saying it’s regarding your mortgage with your bank, even a “free” piece of jewelry with a QR code that may bring issues to your device like malware or security issues.
“I think that the QR codes are the latest, next type of scam we are seeing because of their convenience and how often they’re being used,” said Starkville Police Chief Mark Ballard. “If it’s something you didn’t ask for, or you’re not at a restaurant using it, you have to be very cautious.”
Police Chief Mark Ballard with the Starkville Police Department says the most common scam they deal with is the traditional phone call in which people are advised they have some type of warrant.
After dealing with scam after scam, Starkville PD created four basic rules to know when it is a scam.
“First of all, they are going to claim to be with some organization that you’re familiar with,” Ballard said. “Most people aren’t going to catch that. But the second one, they will. They’re going to say that you’ve won something, or that you are in trouble for something. You’re going to start catching that as a red flag. The third thing is, they’re going to tell you you need to act immediately. That’s an easy one to catch cause in our day-to-day stresses of general family life, you don’t have time to quote ‘stop and act immediately. Lastly, They’re going to perform a very specific act to receive the prize or not to have additional damage, or they’re going to ask you how to pay in a certain way. ”
And what do you do if you fall for the scam?
“We deal with this all the time,” Ballard said. “People get easily embarrassed, and they don’t want anyone to know. Once you realize you’ve run into the possibility of being a victim of a scam, first and foremost, reach out to your financial institutions. They have great systems. They can’t delay or stop the damage that is done. You want to stop communicating with the scammers. You want to notify authorities. If it is on some type of social media platform, reach out to the corporation. Let them know as much information as you can, and they’ll take action as well.”
Overall, Ballard said when they want you to act fast, don’t. And don’t ever give out personal or financial information on anything you are not positive about.
“Slow down, take the opportunity and time to verify they are legitimate,” Ballard said.
Chief Ballard said it’s important to note that there are all types of scams—local, country-wide, international—and they use all types of tactics.
The holidays are a particularly busy time for scammers.
Chief Ballard encourages everyone to be aware, cautious, and suspicious to keep from becoming a victim.
