Hello Everyone,

We are sure that everyone has seen some of the scams that go around online and wanted to address some of the more common ones to help you avoid these traps.

1. Impersonation Scams – With this type of scam a person will contact you via email or phone and identify themselves as a professional entity with title. Many will identify themselves as a bank needing to verify information regarding a suspicious purchase on your account. If this occurs on the phone a real financial institution will have all of your information and will not need to request more. If they become insistent, hang up and call your local branch directly to verify the original contact. If this happens through email, do NOT click any of the attached links as they can be harmful and install malware onto your computer. If you also look at the web address you may notice that there is a subtle change from the original, for example www.bankone.com may be changed to www.bankone1.com.

Another type of impersonation is someone contacting you saying they are a government entity, and you owe money for a previous fine. They will demand you pay it immediately or face possible jailtime. There are no government agencies or police departments that will attempt to collect fines or penalties over the phone or through email. They will normally send you a notification to contact the court clerk or governing entity. When in doubt, contact the agency directly from a phone number that you look up.

1. Debt Relief & Mortgage Scams – If you are contacted by a business that makes claims they can assist you with a loan modification or debt consolidation be leery. Many of these “businesses” are simply attempting to gain your personal information for potential identity theft. If they are a legitimate business, they will not need you to give them any personal information during the initial contact. Another sign that it may be a scam is if they request a payment or retainer from you prior to signing any contracts or agreements.
2. Prizes & Sweepstakes – If you receive a call or an email stating you are the winner of a prize take a moment and ask yourself, “Have I ever entered a contest for this type of prize”? The reality is the scammer is again trying to gain access to your personal information through the “verification” process. Most true contests require the winner to personally appear to receive the prize and to sign any necessary documentation. Prizes are not normally blindly shipped out to the winner. Be sure to verify who the business is that is contacting you about your prize and then contact them using a publicly listed phone number for the business.

These are just a few of the many different scams that are on the internet today. If you receive a message or phone call that doesn’t seem to add up, it should be treated as suspicious, and you should take the steps to protect your identity. If you are ever contacted by someone claiming to be from the Weaver Police Department or government, please contact us back directly on our non-emergency number (256) 820-0530 and we will be happy to verify any information that was given to you.

Everyone stays safe and enjoy the internet, just keep an eye out for the scammers

Lt. Hunter