According to The Journal-News, the messages claim the victim has won the sweepstakes, but the catch is they have to pay money to get a transfer into their bank account. They will use common names to identify themselves. Some of the phone scams reported to local police in our area have been IRS, Green Dot, NV Energy, and scams telling people they have warrants for their arrest and to send money to prevent getting arrested.
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The callers use various scare tactics to deceive individuals into providing personal information, or threatening arrest. Just hang-up. They won’t call back. The man also told the couple that he would need $65,000 before he could deliver the check to their home.
Scammers have targeted the Seymours multiple times, including some claiming to be from the IRS or representing a grandchild in jail, and they fear the con artists are targeting this area because it is mostly a retired community. “Someone will fall for it”.
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Scammers fake the IRS toll-free number on the victim’s caller ID to make it appear as though it’s actually the IRS calling. “The IRS will not call you if you owe taxes without first sending you a bill in the mail”. That is the most secure way to determine if the call was legitimate. “IRS has much information on their website about phishing and phone scams”, said St. Mary’s County AARP TaxAide Program District Coordinator Dana Davis in an email to the Department of Aging and Human Services. Anyone who has been a victim of these phones scams in Reno is asked to file a report with Reno Police.
