Criminals target unsuspecting seniors
To the editor:
None of us would willingly let a criminal intent on stealing from us into our home. But for too many people that is exactly what is happening. The criminal isn’t coming through the door but is coming in through the telephone or perhaps through the Internet on a computer. Alarmingly these criminals are using new technology to mask their real identity and using the name of trusted sources to gain the confidence of the target.
I work for the Aroostook Agency on Aging and many older people are helped by the agency and trust us because of the positive difference we have made in their life. I received two calls from older people who had supposedly received a call from me the evening before pleading for a donation to assist and care for “wounded and crippled veterans.” It was not me who called them nor, if they had agreed to make a donation, would their money have gone to help a veteran. It was a scam trying to steal their money.
Another of the agency’s staff got a call from an older person she had helped. Earlier that day the targeted older person got a call by a person using the name of our worker. The caller “needed” personal information including date of birth, Social Security number and bank account information. Fortunately she refused to provide it and called our worker directly suspecting a scam. Her instincts were right — it was a so-called “phishing scam.”
The so-called “Grandparent” scam has been reported to us by a couple of seniors in recent weeks. One person unfortunately believed his grandson needed $2,500 to get out of jail. He was allowed by the “U.S. Agent” to talk with his “grandson” and family details known by the “grandson” convinced him the call was real. His caller ID said the call was coming from “Homeland Security Department”. He sent the money and too late learned he had been scammed, his grandson had never been in any trouble.
Family information probably came off a Facebook page used by the criminals to gain his confidence. Technology is available to alter caller ID so you can’t trust it to tell you where the call is really coming from.
York County Sheriff William L. King shared this fraud alert with us today‚ “ Kittery Detective Ray Hazen received a report of an “IRS” scam call from 202-864-1377. The strange thing about this scam call is that the intended target’s caller ID showed the call came from the “York County Sheriffs.” The accented caller told the resident that he owed a significant amount of money to the IRS that needs to be paid today or a York County Deputy would be sent to arrest him within an hour. The scammer told the intended target to call the number and ask for Officer Shawn Woods of the IRS. The target was a bit thrown off by the caller ID. Detective Hazen called the number and they answered on the first ring, “IRS.” Please spread the word about this latest scam, using the sheriff’s office as a ruse.”
It is truly tragic when you know a person has worked all their life and was able to save hard-earned money to provide for their retirement and have it stolen in a blink because of a scam artist. The best defense is to just hang up the phone. If the IRS truly has an issue with you and you owe money, they won’t call you but will send a letter.
Don’t get suckered into the “Grandparent” scam by news of a supposed family tragedy or the harm or jailing of a loved one requiring you to send money immediately. Call another family member or your local police or the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office and tell them about the call and ask them to check it out before you send a penny.
Steve Farnham,
executive director
Aroostook Agency on Aging
