State Trooper Spreads Phishing Awareness
While technology is intended to make life easier, the mass amount of scams through social media, cell phones, and the internet is making life harder for many. Local residents have expressed these concerns to WBKB, And Michigan State Trooper, Jason Kunath, wants to spread awareness, “I know some of the common Ones that we get, especially ones that target seniors are an IRS telephone call, a grandchild in trouble, we call it a grandparent scam, also sweep stake or lottery scams, or technical support will call as well. And all they’re trying to do is get your bank account information or somehow get you to send them money.”
The scammers are constantly changing their tactics, but there are a few ways to spot them. “Sit back and think for a second, if you’ve never signed up for a sweepstakes or your grand kid is in trouble, they should be able to tell you their name,” said Kunath. “The IRS will never call you, they will send everything through the mail. So if someone calls saying they’re from the IRS, that should be a sign right there. Same thing for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.”
If you are concerned about the legitimacy of a call you’ve received, you can always double check. Kunath said, “One of the best things you can do, is if you receive a call, get off the phone with them, and find the correct phone number whether you do a search online or the phone book and then call that way to confirm because you don’t know who you’re talking to our where the call is coming from.”
If you think you may have become victim to a scam, be sure to report it to law enforcement. “These lottery winnings that people will try to call and scam people out of, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is, that’s another way to keep yourself safe,” said Kunath.
