Sheriff warns of phone scams

Every year, thousands of people lose money — from a few dollars to a life’s savings — to phone and computer scams.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, many people believe they’re too smart to get scammed, and don’t realize how manipulative the con artists can be to even the most wary individuals. Scammers will say anything to cheat people out of money. Some seem very friendly — calling you by your first name, making small talk, and asking about your family. They may claim to work for a company you trust, or they may send mail or place ads that convince you to call them.
Chickasaw County Sheriff Marty Hemann wants people to know that the scammers are out there, and they target people from small towns and rural areas of the country just as often as they target anyone else.
“We try to make people aware of these scams throughout the year,” said Hemann. “But with tax season here, this time of year it just seems to happen a little more often. I just want to make people know there are scams out there.”
Hemann said that before ever giving money to an unknown source, citizens should contact local law enforcement and check if the caller or solicitor is legitimate. 
“Once you send money, it’s almost impossible to get back,” Hemann said.

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There are literally hundreds of different con-games that criminals try to use to take money from your pocket and put it into theirs, but Hemann said some of the more common ones include the IRS scam, the “you won a prize” scam, and the “your relative needs help” scam. There are also various investment scams, check-cashing scams and computer email scams that can be used. 
 
For more of this article, see Friday's Tribune.