SAFETY ALERT: Scams are on the rise; how you can avoid them
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) - Americans get 2.5 million scam and robocalls a month, according to the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, a consumer advocacy organization.
Of the 22 counties in the CSRA, ten have at least one agency asking people to be aware of scam calls since November.
Eleven agencies overall asked people to be aware on social media, with most agencies saying scammers are calling people, threatening law enforcement action.
Most recently, North Augusta Public Safety says scammers have called, claiming to be with the agency and telling victims there is a warrant for their arrest.
However, there are some agencies that are reporting scams, such as text scams of scammers claiming to be with Amazon or Georgia Power.
The best way to avoid scams is to know what they look like.
Law enforcement will never call asking for money, threatening arrest, or asking for personal information. Law enforcement will also never demand you pay using gift cards, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app.
If you are unsure if the person calling you is who they say they are, you can call the agency they are claiming to be with to confirm if one of their personnel called you.
Other scams include people claiming they are with a charity, business, or organization, debt relief or credit relief, business and investment scams, and prize and lottery scams.
In any of these, the scammer may tell you that you need to provide money or personal information to avoid persecution or to get the promised reward.
If you answer one of these calls, hang up and do not give out any information. Your caller ID may also say the call comes from a trusted source, but it may be wrong.
The Federal Trade Commission has a national registry that adds your number to the Do Not Call list for telemarketers. By adding your number to the list, the number of telemarketing calls you receive will decrease, and you may see a decrease in scam calls.
The website also allows you to report telemarketing and scam calls.
If you do find yourself a victim of a scam caller, there are some steps you can take to get your money or personal information back.
If you paid a scammer:
| How you paid | What to do now |
|---|---|
| Credit or Debit card | Contact the company or bank that issued the credit card or debit card. Tell them it was a fraudulent charge. Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back. |
| Unauthorized transfer from your bank account | Contact your bank and tell them it was an unauthorized debit or withdrawal. Ask them to reverse the transaction and give you your money back. |
| Gift card | Contact the company that issued the gift card. Use this list of contacts. Tell them the card was used in a scam and ask for your money back. Keep a copy of the gift card and the store receipt. |
| Wire transfer though a company | Contact the wire transfer company. Tell them it was a fraudulent transfer. Ask them to reverse the wire transfer and give you your money back. |
| Wire transfer through your bank | Contact your bank and report the fraudulent transfer. Ask them to reverse the wire transfer and give you your money back. |
| Payment app | Report the fraudulent transaction to the company and ask them to reverse the payment. If you linked the app to a credit card or debit card, report the fraud to your credit card company or bank. Ask them to reverse the charge. |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the company you used to send the money and tell them it was a fraudulent transaction. Ask them to reverse the transaction. |
| Send cash | If you sent cash by U.S. mail, contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 and ask them to intercept the package. To learn more about this process, visit USPS Package Intercept: The Basics. If you used another delivery service, contact them as soon as possible |
If your social security number was stolen, head to IdentityTheft.gov to see what steps to take. If you gave away your username and password, create a new password anywhere it’s used.
You can report the scam to the FTC if you became a victim or use the reporting form on DoNotCall.gov. Any information you provide can be used to identify the caller and pursue charges.
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