FTC SCAM

Recently a couple from Lincoln County had contact with Scammers who advised they were from the Federal Trade Commission. The Scammers were very demanding and extremely convincing. The couple checked with their local bank who advised them to go to the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies confirmed it was a scam. We have attached the actual scam report from the Federal Trade Commission below.

As a reminder, if you are contacted by someone representing a Federal, State, or Local Agency over Facebook, phone or any other media, be very careful what information you give. Never give personal information of any kind to subjects you don’t know. In this case and like many others you can always check with local law enforcement or lending institutions before giving out information.

FTC Commissioners aren’t calling you — really
By

Andrew Rayo
Consumer Education Specialist

Scammers have been calling, pretending to be people from the FTC. While the names they use might be real, they’re actually scammers — some of them hoping to trick you into thinking they’re an FTC Commissioner. But they’re not. Whether the caller promises you a prize or threatens you with arrest — and even if they give a (fake) badge number — that’s a scammer. So that call from someone who wants your money or info, and says they’re Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya from the FTC — or Commissioner Noah Phillips, Commissioner Rebecca Kelly Slaughter, Commissioner Christine Wilson, or FTC Chair Khan? That’s a scam.

Scammers like these might demand access to your bank account. They might tell you to pay them by loading money on gift cards, buying cryptocurrency, or using a money transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union. They could say it’s a way to avoid jail, pay a fine, settle an unpaid Amazon balance, or even collect a prize. But it’s a scam.

Here are three things to know about this scam:

1. The FTC won’t call, email, text, or message you on social media to ask for money. Anyone who does is a scammer.

2. The FTC will never call, email, text, or message you on social media to threaten you with arrest. In fact, no government agency will do that. But scammers will.

3. Never pay anybody who contacts you out of the blue and tells you to pay. Don’t give them access to your bank account, don’t buy cryptocurrency or gift cards, don’t wire money, don’t send cash. Just don’t pay them. It’s a scam.

Don’t respond to anyone who says they’re an FTC Commissioner or the FTC Chair — they’ll never call you to demand money, threaten you with arrest, or promise you a prize. Instead, report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Scams

FTC Impersonators

Government Impersonators

Phone Scams

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