Be on the lookout and be extra cautious for phone scams this holiday season. They usually come out in full-force around this time as perps like to take advantage of people looking to score big on merchandise for the holidays.
One example such as this is a friend of mine who received a call from someone stating that their name was randomly selected, they won a large sum of money, and that they would need their bank account info in order to complete the deposit. <red flag> Don't EVER give your personal info, let alone your bank account info to an untrusted individual or company. The best thing to do is write down the date/time that you received the call, as well as the phone number & name from the CallerID, then disconnect the call. Promptly call police and inform them of the scam. This is what my friend had done after receiving the call.
My friend was kind enough to give me the CallerID info, and I went the extra step as well and did a lookup of the area code. Come to find out that the call originated from Seattle, Washington. Although the CallerID info was most likely spoofed, the call can still be traced back to its origin. I sent the info in an email to the FBI branch in Seattle, informing them of the scam.
Just to note...A majority of the scammers will prey on senior citizens as well. So if you have elderly family members or neighbors, make sure you educate & inform them about these scams.
Stay safe!!
--ma
Michael
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