Ellwood City Mayor: “Beware of Scams Targeting Local Residents”

Local residents are falling victim to scams, according to Mayor Anthony Court.

Court said recently an elderly Ellwood City woman was scammed out of $15,000 by an imposter scam. She was told her family member was being held in a foreign prison and $15,000 was required for release. She will not get the $15,000 back.

She later found it that she was the victim of an imposter scam, and she will not get the $15,000 back.

Court says although some scammers have been brought to justice, new ones are popping up everyday and it won’t stop anytime soon. He asks residents to be extra vigilant when answering phone calls, emails, and texts asking for personal information or for exchanging money or gift cards. He advised to never offer any personal information or money.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, in an imposter scam, a dishonest person lies and tricks you into sending money to them. They might call you on the phone or send an email or text. Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money.

They might tell you:

• they are calling from a tech support company about a problem on your computer
• you owe money to the IRS or another government agency
• you just won a prize but you have to pay fees to get the prize
• a friend is in trouble and needs your help
• you got a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra

These are all tricks. If you pay with a gift card or wire money, the scammer will keep it.  You will not get your money back.

Paying by gift card or wiring money is like sending cash.

According to USA.gov, scammers target millions of Americans every year, and anyone can fall victim to their deceptive tricks. With so many types of scams, it’s hard to figure out where to report them. By reporting a scam, you could help identify fraud, bring them to justice, and protect yourself and others in the future.

Follow these five tips to know why, how, and where to report a scam.

1. Collect information like email addresses, receipts, and phone numbers associated with the scam. You will need these items when filling out a report.
2. Start by contacting the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. If you’ve lost money, possessions, or other personal and valuable information, call the local police department.
3. Visit the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to report the scam online at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC works to protect consumers and offers tips to help safeguard personal information.
4. If your information was stolen, such as Social Security number, credit card, or bank details, go to IdentityTheft.gov. You can take specific steps to protect yourself depending on what information was lost.
5. Place a fraud alert on your credit report. A fraud alert is a free service to keep you aware of the activity on your account and can make it harder for an imposter to open more accounts in your name.