Pike County Sheriff James E. Nelson issued a warning to senior citizens. With all the talk about the dangers to the elderly population from Coronavirus, it’s easy to forget that there are other threats to the older and vulnerable population.
Scammers specifically target older people. They’ve ramped up their game due to the fact that many folks have a little stimulus money in their bank account.
Nelson listed some of the most often reported scams:
IRS Scams
- The Con – Crooks call claiming to be working for the IRS. They’ll say you owe back taxes and threaten to have you thrown in jail if you don’t immediately pay up.
- How to tell it’s a scam – The IRS does not collect money by making threatening phone calls and insisting you pay immediately.
Bank Scams
- The Con – Scammers claim to be from your bank or credit card company. They insist they need your information, usually to protect your account.
- How to tell it’s a scam – Your bank and your credit card company already have all of your information. They certainly wouldn’t need it to protect your account.
Lottery Scams
- The Con -Thieves say you’ve won a lottery or a vacation or some other prize. But first, you must pay the taxes on the prize.
- How to tell it’s a scam – Real lotteries and contests don’t require you to pay upfront to get your money.
According to Sheriff Nelson:
“Scammers are very insistent when they call most often they want the money sent by Western Union or require you to go buy some sort of money card such as green cards, and then call them with the card and pin number off the card once you purchase it. Within seconds after getting this information they have the cash and in most cases you will not be able to recover your loss.”
He cautions that money sent by Western Union cannot be recovered unless the transaction is canceled within half an hour of being sent.
The sheriff requests that anyone who receives suspicious mail, phone calls, email, texts, or any other types of suspicious communication contact their local law enforcement agency.
“Don’t become their next victim. If you are in Pike County please report any incident to the Sheriff’s Office at 740.947.2111.”