Law enforcement wants public to know how to identify phone scams
Some scammers are beginning to use names of actual deputies/officers in law enforcement.
PARKERSBURG, W.Va. (WTAP) - Law enforcement are asking residents to be careful with potential scam calls.
Wood County Sheriff, Rick Woodyard said his department receives many calls about phone scams happening. Some of these scams claim to be the I.R.S., a law enforcement group, or a political group. Woodyard said some of the scammers will even pose as actual deputies who work at the sheriff’s office.
He added in most cases to identify if it is a scam call, the person will ask you to meet at a specific location or ask for your social security number or credit card number over the phone.
“The government does not function that way. We never call to threaten to arrest anybody. We don’t call and say if you don’t we’re sending the S.W.A.T. team after you. I had that call myself one time. They were going to send the S.W.A.T. team after me. At that time I was in charge of the S.W.A.T. team. So, I told them, ‘I would just wait for my pager to go off to let me know I was going to search my own house. They immediately hung up
Woodyard added some of these scams can take away from actual organizations in need of donations.
“Unfortunately, it hampers organizations like the Fraternal Order of Police or the Deputy Sheriffs Association from collecting money because they legitimately go out and try to do that
Another identifier for scam calls are if you believe the caller is reading from a script.
If you believe you received scam call, immediately hang up the phone and call 911.
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