Local, federal authorities warn of holiday scams
MOSES LAKE – Scam text messages, phone calls and emails increase in frequency during the holiday season as criminals attempt to take advantage of people’s holiday spirit with a higher volume of fraud attempts during the Christmas season.
“Scams really haven’t changed that much over the years, they are craftier with the internet and phones but it’s the same layout,” Grant County Sheriff’s Officer Kyle Foreman said. “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t become a scammer's next victim.”
With scammers becoming more crafty, various police departments and the Internal Revenue Service want to remind residents to be careful of these fraudulent folks.
“The holiday shopping season and the fast-approaching tax season create a tempting target for identity thieves and scam artists,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel in an IRS release. “Taxpayers should use extra caution this holiday season to protect their valuable personal and financial information, whether shopping online or clicking on links in email and other messages. A little extra caution can protect taxpayers’ confidential information and reduce the risk of identity theft in the upcoming filing season.”
The most common types of scams according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau are blackmail scams, charity scams, debt collection or debt relief scams, grandparent scams, imposter scams, prize scams, lonely hearts scams, link scams, mail fraud and sale of non-existent goods or services scams.
“Scams are going to follow the same pattern, they reach out to you, they use fear or heart-tugging emotions to convince you of their ploy, then they ask for money,” Foreman said.
1. Blackmail scams
A blackmail scammer's mission is to scare their victim into sending money by threatening to distribute private content which could be embarrassing, according to CFPB. These scammers, like many of their counterparts, want funds via a third-party app, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
In Moses Lake on Sept. 20, one person reported he needed to send $1,000 via Apple Pay or the person from Snapchat would send his photos to his contacts. The reporting party sent the funds, and the Moses Lake Police Department was unable to assist with the scam after the money was sent – with recommendations to call his bank and cancel his cards.
“Unfortunately, there is absolutely nothing we can do if you send them money,” Foreman said, noting that many scammers operate from outside U.S. jurisdiction or have an untraceable online presence.
2. Charity Scams
Charity scams are particularly prevalent during the holidays with someone making up a fraudulent charity or posing as a real charity to get money from people, according to CFPB.
The Federal Trade Commission recommends using organizations such as BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Charity Navigator, CharityWatch and Candid. The FTC also recommends donating directly to .org or .gov websites and not to individual people asking for funds.
“These are all about tugging at people’s heartstrings, if they can make you feel scared or sad, they then make you feel like you can fix it by sending money,” Foreman said. “If there is any question about the legitimacy of someone calling for donations. Hang up. Then reach out to the non-profit directly if it’s one you know or do research on the authenticity of the organization if it’s not one you recognize.”
3. Debt Collection/Relief
Some debt collectors may reach out to people about legitimate debts; however, it is recommended by CFPB to ask for the company name, mailing address and information on the debt owed. Do research, then handle the debt – if it is real.
For debt relief scams, CFPB said most debt relief companies ask for up-front funds before performing services – which is a red flag and should not be trusted. Instead, it is recommended to investigate non-profit credit counseling programs instead of using debt relief companies.
4. Grandparent scams
This is a scam that uses the voice of someone who may sound like a child or a grandchild calling for help because they are in trouble, usually, this will come from a number not related to said family member. These scams use artificial intelligence to make the voices sound convincing. This scam is usually used to target older adults.
“Scammers like to target older people who are oftentimes lonely,” Foreman said. “AI scams like these make you feel a sense of panic and urgency and that’s their goal.”
Foreman recommends calling the family member, other trusted adults who are close to the family member or the police department in the area where the family member resides. “That scam can take many different forms, but they are all the same,” Foreman said. “They call, they send their victim into a panic, then they give them an ultimatum asking for money or their loved one will be in danger.”
5. Imposter scams
This is the most common scam GCSO sees, according to Foreman. There have been several scams he has seen where someone receives a call claiming to be the police and if the victim doesn’t pay a fine right now, they will be arrested.
“The police, the courts, really any government agency isn’t going to call you demanding money,” Foreman said. “That’s not how we are set up. If you are going to be arrested, we are not going to give you a courtesy call before showing up and arresting you.”
On Nov. 20 in Moses Lake a reporting person said they sent two gift cards worth $500 to “Apple support,” she later realized it was fraud after the money was sent and called MLPD to document the incident.
6. Lottery/prize scams
In a lottery or prize scams, people are given a call, email or text saying they won an extravagant prize.
“Be suspicious of any text message that you have won money or a prize, because you are going to have to cough up money for the prize,” Foreman said. “Unless you remember signing up for the giveaway, these are usually always scams.”
Do not click links sent or send personal or financial information to these scammers.
7. Lonely heart
Another one Foreman has seen from personal friends is the “Lonely Hearts Scam.” Foreman explained he had a friend who was talking with this person online via a dating site for several months. For the first handful of months, everything seemed normal, however by month four, the person began asking for money.
“Be aware of anyone who is asking for money and laying some sob story on you,” Foreman said. “Some of these scammers are willing to play the game for 6 months or longer to get money out of you.”
8. Shady links
Foreman’s best advice for these scams is to not click any links from unknown sources, including social media, emails or text messages.
“Be cautious of any links that do not look familiar,” Foreman said. “There are always slight changes that don’t make sense for the website. Like instead of Amazon.com it might say Amazon.org. If you are suspicious of where the link goes, do not click it. If you do click it, contact the police as soon as possible. Have records of all your accounts and close them as soon as you’ve realized you have been hacked.”
In Ephrata Sept. 4, a reporting party clicked a link on Facebook and was hacked for $1,000.
“People need to be extra careful during the holidays and during tax season,” Werfel said. “Identity thieves and tax scammers are shrewd and take advantage of what is on people’s minds, particularly during busy times of the year like the holidays. Remember, don’t click on anything unknown, even if you just ordered gifts and you’re expecting packages to come to your door soon. Double-check before you click.”
9. Mail Fraud
Mail fraud letters are flashy and look real according to CFPB; however, the giveaway is the letter always asks for money or personal information now to win something of value later.
“If they are asking you to send information, money, anything like that in the mail, it’s a scam,” Foreman said. “Throw it out and don’t visit links or QR codes listed on the flyers.”
10. Sale of non-existent goods, services
Scammers use mobile payment apps to trick people into sending money or merchandise without holding up their end of the deal, according to CFPD.
“It’s a risk, to buy anything on the internet,” Foreman said. “If you do decide to do some online shopping, go through reliable sources that have return policies.”
In Moses Lake on Aug. 12, a reporting party said she paid $550 for a bouncy house that never arrived. The Moses Lake Police Department looked at the seller’s information and it appeared to be a scam profile.