Troopers concerned about scams

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Wakefield — The Michigan State Police say they are concerned about a recent rise in area residents falling victim to scams.

People most often call law enforcement about a possible scam, and they should, said Det. Sgt. Glenn Gauthier of the MSP Wakefield Post. Unfortunately, more people recently are calling after having been scammed for hundreds or thousands of dollars, he said.

“We get quite a few calls from citizens regarding scams,” Gauthier said. “People from all walks of life and all education levels have been unfortunate victims.”

It is heartbreaking to see people being scammed for substantial amounts of money, he said. People are losing life savings and even taking out loans because of scams, he said.

“We listen to what their story is,” Gauthier said. “But it’s too late usually when they are sending money.”

People fall victim to a scan by thinking it is an opportunity to become financially independent, he said. Other scams use intimate information gathered from social media or other sources to scam people through worry by falsely claiming that a relative needs bond money to get out of jail.

Others scams attempt to intimidate people by falsely claiming to be law enforcement or a government agency with a claim about outstanding taxes or a warrant and to pay money to avoid going to jail.

Whether using information to gain trust or concern, or using coercion to instill fear, these will sometimes work to get people to something they wouldn’t normally do and not realize it’s a scam until it’s too late, he said.

“Sometimes, even when I tell them it’s a scam they won’t believe me,” Gauthier said. “It takes time to come around.”

Lately there have been area residents who have been victimized by versions of the opportunity scam, he said. These usually involved a too-good-to-be-true message in an attempt to make someone think they will get rich, he said.

“This last one had someone representing them self as Publishers Clearing House, which is a legitimate organization, and asking them to send money to claim money,” Gauthier said. “They are calling it a processing fee.”

A legitimate lottery does not ask someone to pay a processing fee before paying out winnings, he said. The Michigan State Lottery would offer a winner a lump-sum or a gradual payout option and then withhold taxes from the payout, he said.

“There is no processing fee,” Gauthier said.

When someone thinks they are going to get millions, they are willing to send thousands, he said. They make hundreds of calls hoping to find someone who will believe the scam, he said.

“We want to get it out there that these lottery scams are going around and if you have any questions, just call the Wakefield Post and ask before sending any money,” Gauthier said.

Other scams target people who use online selling platforms like Craigslist, eBay and Facebook, he said. The scammer sends a check to an individual for an amount far in excess of the asking price and then asks the seller to cash the check, keep their portion and return the excess cash with the item purchased. The people running the scam will often have the excess money sent by wire transferred at a nearby Walmart.

When the seller does this and the check bounces the bank holds the seller responsible for the funds that were already sent back to the scamming buyer, he said.

Individuals or groups use call lists that sometimes contain confidential information to target specific demographic populations, such as the senior citizens, he said. The technology has improved to make the call appear as a local number.

When phone, internet or mail scams come from outside the country it’s almost impossible to prosecute, he said. It’s often not even possible to trace the computer’s IP (internet protocol) address.

There are also scams on social media, he said. The scammer will take time to get to know someone to gain trust before attempting to scam them for money. This again is where they will often utilize Moneygram at a local Walmart.

Sometimes the scammer will use access from permission or through an email virus to freeze up someone’s computer and then demand money to gain control again.

Other scams present themselves as legitimate software companies and contact someone telling them they have a computer virus. They ask the person to allow remote access to their computer and then steal confidential information such as account information and password lists.

If people listen closely to these scams they give clues that they are not legitimate, he said.

“Obviously if some stranger tells you that your computer has a virus in your computer and they don’t have access to your computer, it’s a lie,” Gauthier said. “That’s why they want you to allow them into your computer.”

When receiving a call from someone claiming to be from a legitimate company, the first thing to do if you have an account or card with them is to hang up and call the number you know to be real from the account information and ask if they contacted you, he said.

“Never give out any information over the phone unless you have verified who you are speaking with,” he said.