A warning is going out from Van Buren County Sheriff Dan Abbott about a phone scam. He says callers are asking for donations to the sheriff’s office for an oldies music event, which isn’t happening. Abbott says he called the number given to him by a potential victim and says no one answered and it’s an “obvious spoofing.” He is offering a list of tips to avoid being victimized, with adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry at the top. Other suggestions include being cautious of caller ID because scammers can change the number that shows up, which is what spoofing is, and never say “yes” at the start of the call if asked if you can hear the other person. That’s because your “yes” answer could be recorded and then used as proof you agreed to make a purchase or have your credit card charged.
Here is the full list of tips from Sheriff Abbott:
**Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. You may register online or by calling 1-888-382-1222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance that the calls are scams.
**Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package.
**Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
**Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen. This is called “Spoofing.”
**Independently research business opportunities, charities, or travel packages being offered by the caller.
** Remember don’t ever give in to pressure to take immediate action.
**Don’t say anything if the caller starts the call by asking, “Can your hear me?” This is a common tactic for scammers to record you saying “YES.” Scammers record your “YES” response and use it as proof that you agreed to purchase or credit card charge.
**Don’t provide our credit card number, bank account information, or other personal information to the caller.
**Don’t send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card.
