There are many variations, but most scams involve a ruse
where you receive a phone call or a check in the mail from a lottery, a
corporation or a foreign country. Other schemes originate from use of online
selling or auction sites. In most cases, the victim is instructed to cash a
check, keep a small portion of the money and send the remaining amount to an
address provided. In some of these crimes, sending the money will ensure your
receipt of an even larger cash prize. The crime within this scam is the fact
that the prize or product is non-existent and/or the initial check is
fraudulent. If you send the amount required by personal check to the address
provided, the con artist not only cashes your check and steals the money, but
he also now has your bank account number.
Another scheme that is becoming more popular involves a
scammer calling the victim and acting as a family member in legal trouble and
in need of some fast cash. They will usually ask the victim to quickly wire
them money for bail or to pay fines. The scammer will have already obtained
information about the victim's family member on social media websites to gain
the victim’s trust. To thwart this scam a potential victim should ask questions
of the caller that only a family member would know: extended family names,
mother's maiden name, birth dates of family members, anniversary dates, or the
names of current or past pets.
The primary prevention tip to remember to avoid becoming a
victim of any scam is- “If it sounds too good to be true it probably is."
If you believe that you are a victim of a scam, save all the information you
have regarding the issue and promptly contact the police department that serves
your area.