A host of scams is making their rounds, all with one thing in common: Someone is claiming to be someone they are not. Impostor scams conducted by email, phone calls, social media and even knocks at your door have become one of the fastest growing frauds in America.
While impostor scams have been around for many years, with the help new technology and new devices, they are becoming more sophisticated and scam artists are more easily able to reach larger masses of people at once. Impostor scams are particularly dangerous, because the con artists dupe consumers by claiming to be almost anyone. They are making a living by pretending to be the IRS, court officials, well-known sweepstakes company officials, or even your grandchild. BBB reminds consumers to verify the individual or organization contacting you before providing them with any information.
“Impostor scams come in all shapes and sizes, “said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “But they all have the same goal … to trick you out of your money and/or personal information.”
IMPOSTER SCAMS AND HOW THEY WORK
Power/utility scam. Utility company impostors 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…
