Be Aware of Scams

During a recent incident in Fayetteville a “Scam Artist” approached the home of an elderly woman offering her to “save big money on her gas bill”.  The man ended up stealing her money and her sense of safety.  Statistics show that nearly 1/3 of all fraud victims are 60 years of age or older.  Seniors are targeted typically because they are from a generation where a handshake meant something, they often live alone (allowing the scam artists to go one-on-one with the victim), they are too polite to say no or they are lured by a great-sounding deal. 

In order to protect yourself from scam artist – no matter your age – we encourage you to keep in mind the following things:

·        Always avoid conducting business with those who approach you first, by telephone or at the front door. If you need professional services, seek them out in the phone book or by referral from someone you trust.

·        Be careful when sales people come to your door saying they are offering a neighborhood special for a particular service. Scam artists can also pose as contractors and charge exorbitant fees to fix things that may not need to be fixed. Just because your neighbor’s furnace has broken doesn’t mean yours is about to break too.

·        Please do not be duped, and do not allow your family members to be duped, by "verification" from callers who claim to be government officials. Whenever you are asked to pay any money, for any reason, in order to claim a prize, you are dealing with a crook. The requirement to wire money, rather than using US mail, is another tip-off.

·        Do not accept "verification" from someone who calls you. Anyone can call you and say anything! Also do not attempt to verify a claim by calling a number given to you by the person or organization you are checking up on. They can just give you the number of an accomplice. If you call anyone, look up the number yourself in a public directory.

• Don't let greed overcome common sense. Look out for get-rich-quick schemes, "free" offers, or "you have won" solicitations. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it is.
• Wait 24 hours before making a purchase; there is no need to rush. An offer from a reputable source will remain available from one day to the next.
• Get a second opinion; consult with someone you trust before making important financial decisions.
• Never reveal your "vital numbers" such as credit cards phone cards, date of birth and social security numbers or your personal identification numbers (PIN) for automated teller machine (ATM) transactions to verify a contest prize, low-cost vacation or other prize offer.           

If you think you have been victimized by a fraud scheme or you know of a con game that is targeting your friends or neighbors, call the Fayetteville Police Department or your local police department.