The Federal Trade Commission wants to remind people that a recent change in the law has effected how businesses can request payment over the phone. This change is in direct response to the ongoing criminal scams where a scammer places a call pretending to be someone else (i.e. IRS, police, grandchild, medical supply, etc.) and demands payment, usually in the form of a wire transfer or gift card. As of June, 2016, it is illegal for telemarketers to ask consumers to pay for goods or services using cash to cash money transfers, such as MoneyGram and Western Union, or by providing a PIN from cash reload cards such as MoneyPak, Vanilla Reload, or Reloadit packs. It is also illegal for telemarketers to use unsigned checks called “remotely created payment orders” to withdraw money directly from consumers’ bank accounts.
Any telemarketer that requests payments such as these should be considered a scammer. Do NOT give them the information they requested and never give out your social security number. If you have any questions you should call the North Reading Police at 978-664-3131.
Please pass this information along to anyone you may think is vulnerable to telemarketing scams.