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Friday, September 03, 2010
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| | Email this article • Print this article | Local scams revealed - tips to avoid them
by Rosie Schluter
Fighting scams locally was the topic of last week's public meeting of the newly organized Triad -- a partnership of citizens and law enforcement.
Pat Thompson, Goodhue County Captain of Investigations and a 20 year veteran of law enforcement told how an area person was recently bilked out of $1250. The plot was accomplished by a phone call informing her that she had won $1 million but first she had to send a money order of $250 to redeem it. She actually did this five times. The money was sent to Canada and that is out of local law enforcement's jurisdiction. They tracked the phone number calling her to a prepaid cell phone. But with tactics like these, criminals have a likely chance of not being apprehended. And the money is usually lost.
Police officers also may find themselves involved in a scam. Thompson got a call that there was unusual activity on his bank account. Huge amounts of charges actually. Thompson kidded that he checked with his wife and then decided it was not any of their purchases. But somehow the criminals had gotten his account number. But it was cleared up.
Thompson suggests that if someone calls you for bank information you should ask for your last check number cashed, or perhaps the last five deposits, etc. to make sure you are talking to a reputable person of your bank.
Also, he recommends that you be a "fine print reader." This information would have helped another local citizen who found out the hard way. She received a check for $2.50 in some of her mail. So she cashed it.
But then she found out she had inadvertently joined a buying club!
Another trusting soul who had been befriended by a person who later became identified as part of a scheme to take $100,000 from her by mortgaging her home and even more from cashing in her securities was explained by Bob Rohl from the Kenyon area.
In Bob's case, the victim was a family member. He explained, she was vulnerable because she was a caring person who wanted to help people. She was also going through "trying, emotional times" when her husband was dying.
She met a concerned man who could show her information that he had been a profitable businessman but was now down on his luck. To help him, she provided a place for him to live and bought him a car.
But he got caught when he brought her to a bank to try to get cash for some securities she had just sold. Several banks wouldn't do it.
Then he tried to open an account for her to deposit the money and then presumably withdraw it. But a bank employee became suspicious and contacted the police who came and arrested him on the spot, Bob revealed. The FBI also became involved he explained.
Legal steps, such as what Rohl went through, were touched on by assistant Goodhue County attorney, Stephen O'Keefe. His office helps obtain search warrants and administrative subpoenas to get phone records, etc. Identifying the real scam artist might be difficult. Scams are disguised as legitimate businesses. The result may be that even if they are prosecuted and convicted, the money is still gone. O'Keefe's message was: "Prevention is the key."
This led to Cannon Falls' Interim Police Chief, Rich Wisniewski giving tips to avoid scams.
• One of the best, he chuckled, was to talk over an investment with your family -- if it's like his! They don't have to be tactful!
• Be wary of paying in advance. Pay only after the work is done or delivered.
• Don't feel pressured into making a decision.
• Never give your credit card number over the telephone unless you make the call.
• Keep a list of telephone numbers to call to report the loss or theft of your wallet, credit cards, etc.
• Report unauthorized financial transactions to your bank, credit card company, and the police as soon as you detect them.
• Legitimate businesses understand that you want more information about their company and are happy to comply. Also, obtain a salesperson's name, business identity, telephone number, street address, mailing address and business license number before you transact business.
Wisniewski concluded that you need to be vigilant. Put your name on the national "do not call" list. Keep your credit card numbers on file. Review your credit card statements. And e-mail is good because it records the date and time. Keep a hard copy.
The local Triad meets monthly at the Shepherd's Center in Cannon Falls and is open to the public. Next discussion on local issues is Wednesday, October 11 at 1 p.m Next informational meeting is in November on "Identity Theft."
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