Phone Scammers Getting Creative...

Is it just me or does it seem like with each new day there is a new phone scam to talk about?

A few weeks ago, I warned my listserv about phone calls being made to people warning that they either pay off a loan or risk being arrested. A quick Google search of the phone number revealed numerous stories of similar calls received by people. Needless to say, no one gets arrested and the loan they are referring to doesn't even exist or was previously paid off. Believe it or not, they even call people in your family, as well.

One of my listserv members did offer the following advice for people: "Folks may find it helpful to look at the information at the link below about fair debt collection practices, from posted the Attorney General's website. There are both state and federal laws that cover this. I can't tell whether the scam you have heard about involves actual loans or not, but the advice here should apply equally to real debts and made-up ones, since the scam could be flushed out by asking for documents and pointing out that the caller was using illegal debt collection practices. http://www.mass.gov/ago/consumer-resources/consumer-information/credit-and-financial-literacy/consumer-credit/fair-debt-collection.html"

Today, a constituent informed me that she, and her daughter, received phone calls from Windows telling them that they needed to access their computers-remotely-to clear viruses. These phone calls came on their house phone and the caller was told never to contact them again.

These days, con artists will try anything to steal your identity or make a dollar. Please stay diligent and alert when being contacted via phone or email!