Impostor schemes come in all forms
- Kim Thompson: Better Business Bureau
- March 13, 2020
- 1154
An imposter is a person who pretends to be someone else. They may pretend to be someone you know, like a family member, friend or person you feel like you know but have not met in person. They may pretend to be working for the government or from a company you trust, like a company you do business with, for example, a computer company.
Imposters are dishonest people who want to steal your money or get your personal information. They may call, text or email and appear very legitimate. Calls may seem to be a local number, texts appear to be from real companies or emails have entirely believable government logos on them.
Impostor scams come in all shapes and sizes, but rest assured the end result is the same: to trick you out of your money and/or personal information.
Power/utility scam: Utility-company imposters typically reach out via a telephone call or knock on your door claiming to be a representative from the local water, electric or gas company. In the most common scenario, the fraudster will say a payment is overdue, and the utility will be shut off if you don’t pay up immediately.
Phony banking texts/phishing schemes: You receive a text message allegedly from a bank, alerting you of fraudulent activity on your account. You may or may not have an account at that bank. The con artists might even know your account number. They use a variety of messages and techniques, but the desired outcome is the same. They want you to give them information, the key to your money.
IRS imposters: There are many ways to tell if a call about tax debt is a fraudulent IRS call. According to the IRS, people with overdue taxes will always receive multiple contacts including letters and phone calls from the IRS first. The IRS also will notify taxpayers before sending their accounts to a private collection agency. If you get a call first and had no idea you owed taxes, be cautious and skeptical.
Emergency scam: Emergency calls prey on a person’s kind nature and willingness to help friends and family in need. Con artists impersonate their targets’ loved ones, make up an urgent situation, and plead for help and money. Thanks to social-media sites, these people can offer plausible stories and incorporate nicknames and real travel plans into the con to convince their targets.
If you receive any of these imposter calls, BBB suggests resisting the urge to act immediately, no matter how dramatic the story is. Don’t respond to the call, text or email. Always call the company or person directly to ask about whatever situation was raised. When in doubt, call a friend, loved one or your local BBB to ask for a second opinion.
To learn about other kinds of scams, go to www.BBB.org/ScamTips. If you have been the victim of this or another scam, make others aware by filing a report on www.BBB.org/ScamTracker.
Visit www.bbb.org/canton or call 330-454-9401 to look up a business, file a complaint, write a customer review, read tips, follow on social media and more.