MCCALL, Idaho — The McCall Police Department is sending out some tips about common scams circulating around that everyone should be aware of.
Tech support scams happen when a scammer calls pretending to be from a tech support company, claiming your computer has a virus or needs urgent repairs. The scammer will then ask for remote access to your computer or payment for services.
The McCall Police Department says legitimate tech support companies will not contact you unsolicited about technical issues. If you get a suspicious call, hang up and call the company directly through its official website.
Another common type of scam is lottery or prize scams. These scams involve a message claiming you won a large amount of money, a car or even a vacation. The scammer will then ask you to pay fees upfront or provide personal information to claim your prize.
McCall Police says if you didn’t enter a contest, it is likely a scam. Real prizes do not require you to pay in advance and you should never give out personal information to someone you don’t know.
The third type of common scam is when scammers call or email claiming to be from a local law enforcement agency. The scammer may say there’s a warrant for your arrest or you have been involved in a crime or legal issue. Scammers could even mention something specific to make it seem more legitimate, such as a missed court date or unpaid fines.
The scammer will then say you will be arrested if you do not pay a fine or take urgent action. They will often ask for payment via gift cards, WeTransfer or cryptocurrency.
Scammers may also request sensitive personal details like your social security number, bank account information or passwords.
The McCall Police Department says while scams are becoming more sophisticated, with the proper precautions in place, you can prevent yourself from falling victim.
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