A Free Public Service
SCAMS BULLETIN Host Jay White is an inactive attorney in San Mateo County, California.
April 13, 2022
IMPOSTER FRAUD
Courtesy Federal Trade Commission
What is an imposter?
An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else.
Imposters are dishonest people who want to steal your money or your personal information.
They might call you on the phone or send an email or text pretending to be someone you know, like:
a family member
a friend
a person you feel like you know but have not met in person
Imposters may pretend to be working for the government – possibly the IRS. Imposters may pretend to be from a company you trust, like:
a company you do business with
possibly your electric company
a company that can fix your computer
a company that gives out prizes
a charity that asks for donations
Imposters might say:
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 receive a check for too much money and you need to send back the extra amount
Gift card fraud:
Imposters might try to get you to pay them by asking you to buy a gift card or wire money. People who say you must pay that way are nearly always scammers trying to steal your money.
Never send money to people you don’t know – or when you are not sure if they are who they say they are.
A gift card lets you give someone money to spend in a store. You can buy gift cards at many stores – like Walmart or Target or CVS. You can also obtain them from an online store – like iTunes or Google Play or Amazon.
When you buy the card, you decide how much money to put on it. The card will have a store’s name on it. The store could be one you visit in person or online.
A phony person can use the card to buy things there. The card can be used just by having the numbers that are on the back of the card.
Reports can be made to www.ftc.gov.
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