Tuesday, January 26, 2021
A Howe resident reported to police Tuesday that they had received a phone call that appeared to have originated from the Howe Police Department. The caller told the resident they were the subject of a bank fraud investigation and that they needed to call a different phone number the following day or they would be arrested. Even though the caller knew the resident’s name, the resident believed it was a scam, and promptly met with police to make them aware of the call and to let them know that it appeared to come from a valid police department phone number.
The Howe Police Department encourages residents to report suspicious phone calls such as this. Neither the Howe Police Department nor any other law enforcement agency will call residents and threaten to arrest them if they fail to call some other phone number about an investigation.
This particular type of fraud, or scam, is known as Spoofing. Scam artists disguise their communication to reflect it as being from a known, trusted source. Spoofing is not limited to phone calls. Scammers apply the same techniques through emails, websites, computer IP addresses, and more.
Spoofing is used to gain access to a target’s personal information, spread malware through infected links or attachments, bypass network access controls, or redistribute traffic.
Tips to help avoid becoming a victim to this scam include:
* Never give personal or financial information to an unsolicited caller or email.
* Be suspicious of callers who demand immediate payment for any reason.
* Stay private. Regularly update privacy settings for social media sites. Scammers often make their stories more believable by trolling for personal information on Facebook, Twitter and similar sites.
* Never wire money, provide debit or credit card numbers to a stranger.
* If someone believes they are being scammed regarding an alleged unpaid traffic citation or other court-imposed financial obligation they should ask the caller for information specific to the alleged warrant or unpaid traffic citation. The caller should have the court case number, date of ticket and vehicle license number.
Most importantly, if you are suspicious of a caller, trust your instincts. You are likely correct. Many fraud victims report later that they were suspicious of the caller, but they continued to give out personal information anyway.