1. Never provide your account or credit/bank card information over the phone to unknown callers. Scammers pretending to be a company (Amazon, DirectTV, etc.) call saying that your account has been compromised and ask to verify your account. If you receive a call asking for any private information, end the call without providing information and call that company ’ s main number to check for yourself. 2. Scammers pretending to be people in need of money is a prevalent social media scam. Be cautious! If a caller says that your relative is in jail and needs bail money without telling the rest of the family, hang up and call your family to verify. 3. Requests for payment by prepaid credit cards or gift cards are probably scams. 4. Scammers may call claiming to be government officials and stating you owe money. They demand immediate payment, or they will send the police. Tell them you will call the government entity yourself to ask about your ‘ debt. ’ Sheriff ’ s deputies will never call you to collect a debt owed to the court system or the county government. 5. Scammers ‘ spoof ’ local phone numbers to make themselves look legitimate. Recently, scammers pretending to be from Amazon contacted an Orange County government staff member using a number that appeared to be a local business in Orange, not Amazon ’ s. The scammer did not fool the staff member. Holiday Safety Tips from the Orange County Sheriff ’ s Office By Major Michael R. LaCasse & Captain Jason Smith 5 Scams to Avoid
Page 5 | November 2020
Page 5 | November 2020
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