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Telemarketing fraud takes advantage of the gullible. Don’t fall for it

The problem of financial scams is an old one; it is said that the Nigerian e-mail scam that is currently making the rounds of inboxes everywhere actually dates, in some form, to 1920. And the selling of Florida swampland and the Brooklyn Bridge to gullible people probably goes back much farther than that. In recent times, the Internet has become the tool of choice by criminals intent on stealing cash or personal information from unsuspecting victims. But don’t think that all is safe elsewhere. It appears that good, old-fashioned telephone fraud is making a comeback in a big way. 

Telemarketing fraud has probably been around almost as long as the telephone, but in recent years, the Internet has taken over as the tool of choice for crooks, simply because it is less expensive than hiring people to call strangers. The absence of telemarketing fraud over the last few years means that many people have either forgotten about it or never even knew it existed. But now it is coming back, and people who should know better are falling for the same old scams that have been around for years.

One common scam is that someone will call and claim to be from a company that represents a sweepstakes or contest of some sort. The caller will inform the victim that he or she has won a prize, either cash or some commodity. People love to win things, so the caller often finds a receptive listener in the victim. The caller will then explain that the shipping of the prize will involve some fees for postage, or taxes, or both. At that point, he or she will ask the victim for a credit card so that the shipping charges can be paid.

Of course, there is no prize. The caller simply wants the victim’s credit card number so that he or she or the company they represent, can engage in merchandise theft or identity theft using the stolen information.

It you have actually won something, the law generally requires that it be shipped to you without any payment on your part. This should alert you to a potential scam, should someone call with such a story. Here are some other things you should know:

Do not provide any personal information to someone who calls you. Ever. 

Do not provide any financial information to someone who calls you. No one with whom you regularly do business will call you and ask for a Social Security number or a credit card number or bank account number. They already have it.

Ask for information in writing if someone says that you have won something.

Never send money to a stranger who calls you by wire transfer.

You should generally be suspicious of anyone who calls you and tells you that you have won something. Most companies that run legitimate contests will notify winners by mail, not by phone call. As usual, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

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