Today’s thefts are not about Bonnie and Clyde robbing banks with Tommy Guns. They are less confrontational, as thieves do not have to use guns. Instead, they scam us with cons. The CV is perfect for scams because of the unsuspecting elderly who make perfect victims.
There are hundreds of thousands of monthly robo-calls, costing Americans Billions of dollars. The 3 biggest are Google listing scams, Loan related scams and Fraudsters offering free vacations. As our parents taught us “if it sounds too good to be true…it is probably not true.”
Robo-calls escalate when the phone is answered. The bad guys have call centers, often from out of the country, that make day long calls. They have spoofing software making it look like you are receiving the call from say the IRS or Riverside Sheriffs.
The caller may claim to be an enforcement officer acting on behalf of the IRS, the Palm Springs Police, Riverside County Sheriff or the Indio Courthouse. Sometimes the caller ID may even confirm the same. Initially, note that the IRS does not call you, they send letters. If this happens to you, call the IRS at 800-829-1040 or forward their emails to phishing@IRS.gov.
Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. They use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may also use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official. These scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. The caller may even threaten to arrest, deport, or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money, according to the IRS.
I know as this happened to me with an alleged call from RSO that they were on their way to arrest me. Fortunately, I knew the Sheriff of Riverside Co and called him on his cell. I felt like a fool when he explained this is just a scam.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that California remains in the top 10 on their list of states with the highest per-capita identity theft complaints. Tax-related identity theft is a top source of those complaints, according to the FTC.
The vulnerability of California residents to fraud, particularly identity theft, is exacerbated by the ongoing problem of data breaches. We just heard of another this week. A caller may demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill, and con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. “Urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email are also common.
There are five things scammers often do that the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam. The IRS will never:
- call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill;
- demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe;
- require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card;
- ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone; or
- threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, you should hang up immediately and report the call. The IRS does not call.
You would normally arrive at your hotel/motel and check in at the front desk. You give the front desk your credit card for incidental room charges during your stay. When you get to your room you settle in.
The SCAM is when someone calls the front desk and asks, for example, Room 620 – which happens to be your room. When the phone rings in your room you answer it and the person on the other end says ‘This is the front desk. We came across a problem with your credit card information when you checked into the hotel/motel. Would you please provide me with your credit card number and verify the last 3 digits numbers on the reverse side of your card.
Thinking this is the front desk, you might give the caller your information. But actually, this is a scam where someone calls from outside the hotel/motel and asks for a random room number. They then ask you for your credit card and home address information. You provide the requested information because it sounds so professional, and you think you are talking to the front desk.
If this happens to you, please tell the caller that you will be right down to the front desk to clear up any problems. When you get to the front desk ask if there was a problem. If there was none, advise the hotel manager that someone called to Scam you out of your credit card information by acting as a front desk employee. ANYONE traveling should be aware of this SCAM!
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