Be aware of new phone scam
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POLSON — Heading into the holiday season, people are thinking about turkeys and gift giving, and not so much about scams.
But swindlers love the holidays too, according to Lake County Undersheriff Dan Yonkin.
A scam currently circulating around Lake County involves a flimflammer calling a person, identifying himself as a member of the sheriff’s office or some other law enforcement agency. The scammer tells the person receiving the call that he or she has an outstanding warrant, such as failing to register for jury duty. The crook offers to let the victims pay the bond directly instead of sending an officer to their door to arrest them.
This is a giveaway, Yonkin said, “because (law enforcement) usually doesn’t call ahead.”
Then the hustler tells the victim the amount of “the bond,” and tells the victim to buy a Walmart green dot moneyPak card, put the amount required in it, and scratch off the access number on the back. The scammer asks the victim to call back and tell him the access number and, boom, the victim’s cash is gone. It doesn’t go through a bank.
Yonkin advises people to take a moment to research these calls, either by checking on the Internet or by calling the police.
