Telephone Fraud (Page 3)
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DISCOUNT DRUG CARDS
Someone calls offering you a discount drug card with great benefits. He or she asks for your bank account information in order to pay for the card. But what you receive is a card that is not honored by drug stores in your community, or you receive nothing at all. The thieves withdraw money from your account for services you did not order.
PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT – HEALTH CARE VOUCHER CALLS
Someone calls saying they are from a public health office. They claim that they will provide you with health care vouchers and request your Social Security number and personal financial information. They use this to withdraw money from your bank account.
“COLLECT CALL FROM THE PRIZE PATROL!”
A con artist calls and claims that he represents the sweepstakes that are being shown in commercials on TV. He says that you have won the prize but need to send money to cover the taxes. The amount may be in the range of $600 to $6000. The caller often uses the name Louis Whitehead. Calls often begin, “Collect Call from the Prize Patrol…”
BRITISH BOND SCAM
A scam artist calls saying that have won a bond issued by a British financial institution. The income generated by the bond will be to $2,000 to $3,000 per month. The bond will be registered in Canada to avoid taxes in the US. They will ask you to wire money to have it registered in your name.
MONTREAL BARRISTER/CANADIAN LOTTERY SCAM
You get a call from a scam artist claims to be an official with the Canadian Lottery. He tells you that you won second place prize in a sweepstakes, $300K to $500K. The catch is that you need to send $30,000 to cover taxes before the winnings can be released from escrow. If you pay this amount, you will get a follow on call saying that you actually won 1st place and need to send even more cash.
TERRORISM AND MONEY LAUNDERING FEES
People who fall for cons and send money overseas to collect winnings will get another call. This time the con artist says he is with the FBI, IRS, or Department of Homeland Security. He will tell you that your prize award has been impounded and will be forfeited to the US Treasury unless the funds are audited to make sure that they do not come from any form of organized crime. You must pay for the audit by sending several thousand dollars.
Acorn wishes to acknowledge the Office of the Attorney General of North Carolina for this valuable content. If you think a loved one has been victimized, call the NC Attorney General office at 877-5NO-SCAM.
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