PHONE SCAMS TARGET EAST COUNTY RESIDENTS

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FTC offers tips on how to avoid falling victim to phone fraudsters


December 15, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) –Robin Clegg, a member of the Blossom Valley Network, alerted ECM to a phone scam that she said is targeting local residents.  Clegg warned that scamsters are preying on the elderly with calls claiming that a grandson or nephew is in jail, then instructing victims to wire money and not tell anyone.

 

"Thankfully my in-laws took their adult granddaughter with them who decided it didn't quite sound right,” Clegg said. “The $3,000 cash was headed out on the wires but thankfully, Dollartree and my daughter stopped it before the money was long gone.” She added, “After discussing this with a few others I understand that there have been a couple people in the East County that were not so lucky.”

 

Jan Caldwell, spokesperson for San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore, offered this advice to avoid being victimized by phone scams.

 

“All should be wary of calls or solicitations that don’t sound right. The holidays are a particularly prime time for scamsters to prey on not only our senior citizens, but anyone,” Caldwell cautioned.

 

For detailed information on how to avoid falling prey to phone fraud schemes, visit the Federal Trade Commission website at http://www.ftc.gov/phonefraud.

 


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