Another Amarillo Telephone Fraud That You Should Be Aware Of

Amarillo Police are investigating a telephone fraud case happening in Amarillo in which the criminals apparently used information provided in an internet loan application in order to appear as federal law enforcement.  They also were able to make it appear that local law enforcement was involved by “spoofing” a telephone number.  The caller is said to have a "middle eastern accent", so my friends, watch out for this!  The victim’s caller identification showed the third party was calling from 806-378-9452, a number for the report taker’s desk at the Amarillo Police Department.

APD:

"This is not the first time that this has happened in the Amarillo area.  Telephone scam artists can make your caller ID show any number they need to use.  Don’t trust callers that claim to be from law enforcement and threaten to arrest you if you do not pay over the phone immediately for any reason…fines, fraud, or not appearing for jury duty.  Remember that when you fill out on line loan applications, you may be providing criminals with all the information they need to convince you that they are the real thing.  Check out loan companies with the Better Business Bureau before you apply….and only trust information in calls that you initiate to telephone numbers that you have verified as genuine. 

The APD White Collar Crimes Unit would also like to make you aware that criminals are using information in television advertising in their scams.  In one local incident, a caller told a woman that she was eligible to receive part of a cash settlement resulting from a civil suit involving a defective medical device.  The settlement has been advertised on television, so the woman believed the caller.  The scammer asked for-and she sent him-$500 dollars via Green Dot money card information as a “fee” to receive her part of the settlement.  Her payoff was to be several thousand dollars.  The advertisements may be real, but this caller was not, and the woman lost her money.  Remember, any time someone asks you to pay money in order to get money, it is a scam.  If you win money-whether it is a civil suit or sweepstakes-you should not have to pay any fees to claim winnings."

The APD Crime Prevention Unit is available to provide your club or organization with information to help you avoid scams and frauds.  Call the Crime Prevention Unit at 806-378-4257 to schedule a program.