Rise In Thefts Through Common Phone And Email Scams

Are we becoming numb to the endless barrage of scams yet? On your phone, online, social media, and in the mail, it is a never-ending way to try to scam you out of your hard-earned money.

But, it's never a good time to let up your guard when you receive something via one of those many sources that could be a scam.

Recently, the Town of Vestal Police alerted the public of another scam that is trying to extort money out of residents, stating that there has been a rise in thefts through phone and email scams.

These scammers ask to make an immediate payment for one of several reasons, including to free a loved one from jail or claim they are from a federal agency such as the Internal Revenue Service, the Border Patrol, or a law enforcement agency. The call or email is presented as a sense of urgency to try to get a person to pay.

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The Town of Vestal Police Department stresses that a Law Enforcement Agency will never ask to provide credit card or banking information over the phone. Nor with Law Enforcement ask a person to purchase gift cards or other redeemable items.

If you believe you are being scammed, hand up immediately, search the internet for the agency the scammer is attempting to claim they are from, and contact the correct agency directly to verify.

The Town of Vestal Police Department suggests you share this information with others, including elderly family, friends, and neighbors. They are the persons most susceptible to these scams. Many locally have lost thousands of dollars in the past to various scams.

For more information, visit the Town of Vestal Police Department website.