Consumers urged to remain alert

April 30, 2008 05:17 pm

— Detective Tom Wallace of the Cass County Sheriff’s Department offers some simple advice for folks who receive offers through the mail or over the Internet: If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Recently, Wallace noted that local police agencies were being bombarded with reports of scam attempts.
A Logansport woman reported receiving a letter saying she had won more than $75,000 in a sweepstakes she never entered. All she needed to do was send a check to cover the cost of delivering her winnings.
This particular individual recognized the letter as a scam but not everyone has been so fortunate. Police say such efforts have bilked local residents of thousands of dollars.
In recent months, Carroll County authorities investigated several reports of computer-generated scams. Victims were receiving correspondence via e-mail from people outside the United States asking that they cash checks in exchange for a percentage of the face value. Police say the checks looked like cashier’s checks and on the surface appeared legitimate.
For those who do fall prey to such scams, recovering lost money is nearly impossible. It’s difficult to identify a suspect, investigators say, and because of the broad nature of the Internet, the crime generally crosses international boundaries, making prosecution almost impossible.
Still, authorities encourage scam victims to contact their local police department, even if the culprit is someone from outside the country.
At the same time, police deal with numerous reports of identity theft every week. During tax season, police were receiving reports from local workers who filed their tax returns only to discover the Internal Revenue Service believed they owed taxes from jobs they had never worked.
Wallace and Detective Ray Bean of the Logansport Police Department are doing what they can to raise awareness. They’re willing to make presentations to community organizations and civic groups on the sorts of things individuals should look out for.
A consumer’s best defense is to be well informed. The Indiana attorney general and Federal Trade Commission also offer a wealth of information and tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
Our best advice is this: Keep a close guard on your personal information. And beware of strangers bearing gifts.
– Pharos-Tribune, Logansport, and Kokomo Tribune