BEWARE OF NEVER-ENDING SCAMS - Calhoun Family Scammed Of $5,400

(11/22/2014)
A Calhoun family reported this week that a caller said their grandson had been arrested for DUI, and they needed to send $1,000 within two hours.

The scammers used the name of their grandson.

They were instructed "to go to Rite-Aid and purchase two $500 green cards," saying they would call back and activate the cards.

The family contacted the grandson, who was unaware of a problem.

A Calhoun family told the Hur Herald in August, 2014, they had been scammed for $5,400, a person claiming to be their grandson called by phone saying he was in trouble in Richmond, Virginia and needed immediate assistance.

The elderly Calhoun couple sent money-grams, likely to a WalMart, to lend assistance.

The false identity scam has used both the Internet and phone calling for such scamming.

State Police reportedly investigated the Calhoun incident, but the agency does not release public information regarding crimes committed in the county.

Another reader reported, "I received a phone call a few weeks ago the guy had an accent and said my computer was infected and was going to crash. I laughed at him and said, 'I don't have a computer.' He then said, Oh, you don't....followed by a long pause, then asked, 'Do you like the sound of my voice?' I then hung up the phone, and wasn't real sure what to think at the time."

NEVER ENDING SCAMS

Calhoun residents are reporting getting "spoofing" phone calls.

Phone users once thought Caller ID would protect from unwanted calls.

Sorry.

"Spoofing" is getting a call from a person and phone number that you might know, generally from the same calling area.

At least two Calhoun residents reported getting such calls, but there are likely many, in their case from a 655 exchange, and then being solicited to purchase something.

"Spoofing" has been common with e-mail, getting e-mails from people you know, and inviting you to open a document.

Most citizens are in tune with how not to get scammed, by phone, e-mail or in-person, but not all, generally catching the elderly off-guard.

Regional residents have been getting calls saying something like, "We have discovered your computer is infected with a virus and will likely crash, and we can fix it for you." The caller, generally with a foreign accent, then tries to get personal information and collect money.

Anonymous calls, difficult to track, have recently been received locally.

A Russett woman said her phone rang at 1:30 a.m. and a man advised her, using her name, that he was the "man of your dreams." She is attempting to trace the unknown caller.

Political advertising should be among the scams, rarely sticking to the truth, with no accountability for their usurious statements.

Here's a look at the most frequent scams experienced by local and regional residents:

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