The Van Buren County Sheriff's Department and the South Have Police are warning the public about two different phone scams.
In Van Buren, deputies are warning people about a scam where the caller is asking for donations to the sheriff's office for an "upcoming oldies music event."
Someone who received the scam told a deputy about it, and he called the number, but no one answered. He says it's an "obvious spoofing."
In South Haven, the police department is warning people - particularly businesses - in the area to be mindful of scammers impersonating utility companies.
These scammers have targeted businesses recently. They impersonate water and electric companies threatening to turn off their services if payment isn't made immediately.
Police say some scammers are identifying themselves as the South Haven Electric Department.
If you think you've been scammed, both departments give tips on what to do.
Van Buren County Sheriff's Department tips:
- Register your phone number with the National Do Not Call Registry. You may register online or by calling 1-888-382-1222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance that the calls are scams.
- Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package.
- Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
- Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your caller ID screen. This is called “Spoofing.”
- Independently research business opportunities, charities, or travel packages being offered by the caller.
- Remember, don’t ever give in to pressure to take immediate action.
- Don’t say anything if the caller starts the call by asking, “Can you hear me?” This is a common tactic for scammers to record you saying “YES.” Scammers record your “YES” response and use it as proof that you agreed to purchase or credit card charges.
- Don’t provide our credit card number, bank account information, or other personal information to the caller.
- Don’t send money if a caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card.
South Haven Police Department's tips:
- Never give out your banking information by email or phone. Utility companies don't demand banking information over the telephone as your only option of payment.
- If in doubt, initiate a call to your utility provider and inquire about your account.
- Legitimate companies also don't demand a specific method of payment like gift cards, wiring money, etc.
- Remember, scammers may "spoof" or disguise the number they are calling from, so the number may appear to be from a legitimate utility company.
- If you do receive a scam, you may report the information to the FTC.
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