If you or someone you know has received a call that appears to be a scam, the Federal Trade Commission would like to know. You can report these scams at this link. One of the most prevalent scam is the IRS scam. If you have received a call from someone identifying themselves as from the IRS, you can report that to this link.
The North Reading Police have been told that the IRS will never ask for your Social Security Number or request immediate payment in the form of wire transfers (i.e. Money Gram or other wire transfer services) or prepaid debit/credit cards like Green Dot. The IRS will also not threaten a law suit or arrest if you do not comply with these demands.
Another common scam has been called the “Grandson Scam”. This is where a loved one calls or emails and says that they are in trouble and need money as soon as possible. DO NOT SEND MONEY. Wire transfers are just like money, once they are gone there is no getting it back. Remember to slow the conversation down and ask specific questions and then attempt to verify this with a third party (i.e. another relative) before you take any further action.
Yet another common scam is that you have won something, however there are fees associated with the prize. Remember: if something seems too good to be true, then it probably is not true. Think about why someone would tell you that you have won something. Did you enter any contests or giveaways? Again, if it seems too good to be true…