In the News: Police warn on scams; Crown Vic - classic police vehicle

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Since January, more than $800,000 has been stolen from Franklin corporations and residents due to fraud, according to police Sgt. Brian Johnson. 

“Once that money is gone, there’s no hope of recovering it,” he said. 

Local police departments, including Franklin and Medway, are urging residents to educate themselves on scams and how to spot them. 

“It happens a lot,” said Johnson, adding that police receive reports of scams a couple times a month. Of the $800,003 stolen this year, Johnson said about $700,000 of that was taken from a local corporation through wire fraud."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190731/franklin-medway-police-warn-residents-of-scams

https://www.franklinmatters.org/2019/07/spread-word-about-social-security-scams.html

"Natick police received the last Crown Vic outfitted by MHQ in May 2013. The company put a decal designating it as the “Final Edition Crown Victoria.” Many MHQ employees signed the inside of the trunk to mark the occasion. 

Of the four Crown Vics left in Franklin’s 28-vehicle fleet, three are used by detectives and one is used by officers to go to court assignments or training events, according to Police Chief Thomas J. Lynch. 

“These vehicles do not accrue mileage as fast as regularly deployed Patrol Division vehicles,” he wrote in an email to the Daily News. “As the four remaining CVPIs accrue mileage, years of service and eventually meet our vehicle replacement policy, they will be replaced with Ford Police Interceptor utilities or sedans.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190731/final-crown-vic-police-cruisers-are-rarely-on-road-in-metrowest-region

https://twitter.com/milforddaily/status/1156654279198957569

Who’s reporting robocalls?

Who's reporting robocalls? by Paul Witt, Lead Data Analyst, Division of Consumer Response & Operations Have you ever reported an unwanted call to the FTC, whether it's a robocall (where you hear a recorded message) or call from a live person? If so, thank you.  Reporting, I'm sorry to say, won't end these annoying calls, but it helps the FTC and other law enforcement agencies investigate and bring cases against scammers and businesses that aren't following the law. In fact, the FTC's recent actions against robocallers show what your report can do.  Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/whos-reporting-robocalls?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Medicare does not give out DNA kits

Medicare does not give out DNA kits by Lisa Lake,  Consumer Education Specialist, FTC Here's one that goes to show just how creative scammers can be. The FTC is getting reports that callers claiming to be from Medicare are asking people for their Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, and other personal information…in exchange for DNA testing kits.  The callers might say the test is a free way to get early diagnoses for diseases like cancer, or just that it's a free test, so why not take it? But the truth is, Medicare does not market DNA testing kits to the general public. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/medicare-does-not-give-out-dna-kits?utm_source=govdelivery  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alerts: Who’s pretending to be the government now?

Who's pretending to be the government now? by Paul Witt, Supervisory Data Analyst, Federal Trade Commission You've gotten the calls: from Social Security. Or the IRS. Or Medicare. Or any number of other agencies. Except: as soon as the caller threatens you or demands that you pay them with a gift card or by wiring money, you know. It's a scam. Even if caller ID tells you otherwise – that's not the government calling. Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/07/whos-pretending-be-government-now  This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC - Consumer Alerts: Are You Getting Unwanted Calls?

Are you getting unwanted calls? It could be scammers calling. Scammers can use the internet to make calls from all over the world. They don't care if you're on the National Do Not Call Registry. That's why your best defense against unwanted calls is call blocking. Learn how to block unwanted calls at ftc.gov/calls. Tired of robocalls? So are we. Find out what the FTC is doing to go after robocallers.

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This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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Get a one-ring call? Don’t call back

Get a one-ring call? Don't call back by Michael Atleson Acting Assistant Director, Division of Consumer & Business Education A while back, we warned you about the "one ring" scam. That's when you get a phone call from a number you don't know, and the call stops after just one ring.  The scammer is hoping you'll call back, because it's really an international toll number and will appear as a charge on your phone bill — with most of the money going to the scammer.  Well, the scam is back with a vengeance, and the FCC just issued a new advisory about it. Read the FCC's advisory for more detail, but the advice from both agencies remains the same if you get one of these calls: Read more https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/05/get-one-ring-call-dont-call-back?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alerts: What to do about robocalls

What to do about robocalls by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education Not another robocall! We've all felt that way. Wondering what to do about robocalls? Check out this new video: https://youtu.be/8rDKxLUhbUE This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Operation Donate with Honor continues

Operation Donate with Honor continues by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Last year, the FTC and state charity regulators joined in Operation Donate with Honor to stop sham veterans charities from lying to donors.  Today the FTC is announcing that it shut down two more operations that collected donations with false promises of helping veterans and military service members. Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/operation-donate-honor-continues?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Alerts: Robocallers, you’re out

Robocallers, you're out by Rosario Méndez Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education, FTC Most robocalls are prohibited by law, but scammers and dishonest people continue to send them. And even some legitimate companies violate peoples' privacy rights with illegal robocalls. Today the FTC announced several victories in the fight against illegal robocalls. Read more online at the FTC https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/robocallers-youre-out?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alert: Those (not really) IRS calls (video)

Franklin Police Chief Thomas Lynch had a voice message to all residents recently alerting us to avoid phone scams. This FTC video delivers the same message

Those (not really) IRS calls by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education You've probably gotten one of these calls: They say it's the IRS and they're filing a lawsuit against you for back taxes. They may threaten to arrest or deport you. What do you do? Watch this video to learn more: Read more online https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2019/03/those-not-really-irs-calls?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Consumer Alerts: Hang up on spoofed SSA calls

Hang up on spoofed SSA calls by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education If you get a call that looks like it's from the Social Security Administration (SSA), think twice. Scammers are spoofing SSA's 1-800 customer service number to try to get your personal information.  Spoofing means that scammers can call from anywhere, but they make your caller ID show a different number – often one that looks legit. Here are few things you should know about these so-called SSA calls. Read more    https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/10/hang-spoofed-ssa-calls?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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"This is the largest scam of this type we've ever seen"

I have shared many scam alerts from the Federal Trade Commission and other good sources. Here is a really good article getting into the details on how one of these phone scams worked and how it was taken down. That similar phone calls are still happening shows that there is still an opportunity for the nefarious folks to make some money.

The one thing we can do to stop this is to NOT to fall for the scam.

"On Nov. 24, 2014, a woman named Diana received a menacing phone call in Hernando, Miss., a small city nestled in the northwest corner of the state. A caller purporting to be an IRS agent claimed she owed back taxes and told her that agents were waiting to arrest her unless she paid up immediately. The caller was insistent, threatening, and urging her to act quickly. 

The demands eventually produced the desired result: After the "agent" ordered her to withdraw $19,625 in cash, Diana bought 21 prepaid cards called MoneyPaks equaling that amount at a local store. After purchasing the cards, she read the unique serial number off each MoneyPak card to the caller, effectively giving him all her money. 

The caller wasn't actually an IRS agent; he was an impostor from Worldwide Solution, a call center in India. No agents waited outside. Diana owed no back taxes. Hers just happened to be one of the millions of phone numbers dialed by an international conspiracy of con artists running a series of impostor schemes, according to a federal indictment issued in October 2016."

Continue reading the full story online
https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/issues/2018/sep/tigta-irs-impersonation-scam.html#.W5--uybd6Hk.email

Related link on FTC scam alerts
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/scam-alerts

From the Franklin Matters archives
http://www.franklinmatters.org/search?q=ftc,+scam+alert&max-results=20&by-date=true

"This is the largest scam of this type we've ever seen"

“They’re just looking for you to react to the email"

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Local residents are experiencing an old email scam with a new twist: Sextortion scammers appear to be hacking into breached databases and using old passwords for leverage over their victims. 

Scammers claim to have videos of their intended victims on their laptops while they watch pornography on the internet. They threaten that if a certain amount of money isn’t paid, they will send those videos to everyone in their target’s address book. The password trick is just an additional ploy. 

Kevin Morton, owner of Franklin computer repair shop Nerds-To-Go, was working on a sextortion case when contacted on Thursday afternoon. He said scammers are usually all bark and no bite, but he has seen a higher volume of these calls for help coming from the Milford and MetroWest areas in the past few weeks.

“To fix it, just simply delete the email and change the password,” Morton said. “It’s not really necessary to get a new email address.”

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
http://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20180729/sextortion-scam-hits-franklin-over-past-week

Regular readers will recognize that I share info from the FTC on scam alerts that they post. Being vigilant these days is required. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Several of these alerts can be found in the archives
http://www.franklinmatters.org/search?q=FTC%2C+alert

FTC Scam Alerts: Staying away from nanny and caregiving job scams

Staying away from nanny and caregiving job scams by Carol Kando-Pineda Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education Finding a new job can be a challenge. Websites can help you find work, but scammers also use these sites to find people to rip off. Do you look for work on caregiver/nanny job sites?  Sometimes scammers will offer a job but say you need to buy supplies or other equipment. They pressure you to act quickly, before you have time to think. They send you a check and tell you to deposit it and transfer money to their vendor to buy the supplies.  Don't do it — scammers post fake job listings for nannies and caregivers, then make up elaborate stories to get your money. The positions seem real, but they're not — it's a scam. The check will bounce. So, the money you sent is actually your own — and it's gone. Read more  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/07/staying-away-nanny-and-caregiving-job-scams?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC Scam Alert: Online love asking for money? It’s a scam.

Online love asking for money? It's a scam. by Carol Kando-Pineda Attorney, Division of Consumer and Business Education While plenty of successful relationships begin online, scammers also use online dating sites, apps, and chat rooms to trick you into sending them money. These impostors create fake profiles to build online relationships, and eventually convince people to send money in the name of love. Some even make wedding plans before disappearing with the money.  It's a big problem: reports to the FBI about online romance scams tripled between 2012 and 2016, and impostor scams were among the top reports to the Federal Trade Commission for both the general population and the military community. Read more  -->>  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2018/07/online-love-asking-money-its-scam?utm_source=govdelivery This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC: How to stop unwanted calls

How to stop unwanted calls Why are you getting so many calls? Odds are, many of the calls you're getting are from scammers. Here's how to stop unwanted calls. Share these with your friends and followers. This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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FTC: Scam spotted thanks to a clever store clerk

Scam spotted thanks to a clever store clerk by Monica Vaca Associate Director, Consumer Response and Operations, FTC You're going about your normal day at work when, suddenly, there's a call that looks like it's from your electric company. That's what the caller ID shows, and what the person on the line says. The voice on the line tells you that, because of late payments, the power to your business is about to be cut off. Without power, you can't keep your business running, so that's an emergency. Or is it? Read more This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

MA Consumer Affairs has a 4 Part Series on "A Consumer Guide to Landline Telephone Service"

The MA Consumer Affairs blog has a four part series on "How Do You Connect? A Consumer Guide to Landline Telephone Service"

From Part 1

"When buying landline telephone service for your home, you should be aware of several issues, including technological changes impacting the communications network, and ask questions to make sure you are getting the type of telephone service that best meets your needs. 

Telephone calls are generally categorized as:

• Local: Calls made within your immediate area as determined by the exchanges (area codes) in the calling plan and the service provider you choose. It is possible that calls in your own municipality may not be considered local. Be sure to ask or request a list of the exchanges that are part of your local calling plan;
• Regional: Calls made outside the “local” calling area; and
• Long Distance: Calls generally made out-of-state.

Always contact your service provider of choice to inquire about their service offerings and available calling plans. You can choose one provider for all your calling needs, or you can select different providers for different types of calls. 

Federal Law allows you to keep your current phone number when you change providers as long as you remain within the local exchange. When switching providers be sure to tell your provider you want to keep your existing phone number."

Continue reading part 1
http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/how-do-you-connect-a-consumer-guide-to-landline-telephone-service-part-1-overview/

Part 2
http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/how-do-you-connect-a-consumer-guide-to-landline-telephone-service-part-2-billing/

Part 3
http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/how-do-you-connect-a-consumer-guide-to-landline-telephone-service-part-3-bundled-services/

Part 4
http://blog.mass.gov/consumer/massconsumer/how-do-you-connect-a-consumer-guide-to-landline-telephone-service-part-4-slamming-and-cramming/

How Do You Connect? A Consumer Guide to Landline Telephone Service: Part 1—Overview (image from MA Consumer Affairs article)

FTC Scam Alert: Equifax isn’t calling

Many Franklinites are likely among those affected by the Equifax breach (as I was). Hence, this is worthy of sharing!

Equifax isn't calling by Lisa Weintraub Schifferle Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer and Business Education Ring, ring. "This is Equifax calling to verify your account information." Stop. Don't tell them anything. They're not from Equifax. It's a scam. Equifax will not call you out of the blue. Follow the link to read more This is a free service provided by the Federal Trade Commission.

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Also from the Federal Trade Commission - What to do
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2017/09/equifax-data-breach-what-do

Downtown Partnership: Phone scam targeting local businesses

If you get this solicitation call Franklin Police

Franklin Downtown Partnership  9 E. Central Street, Franklin, MA  02038 (774) 571-3109   downtown.franklin@yahoo.com Phone scam targeting local businesses A new marketing scam that targets local businesses is circulating and may be headed to Franklin. If you receive one of these phone calls please alert the Franklin Police.  Thanks to Matt Lechter and Ken Corkran for the following information:  Late last week Dean College received a phone call from the Woonsocket Police Department informing us of a potential marketing "scam" going on in Rhode Island. An individual, claiming to be "Richard", is stating he works for Beacon Media News and is soliciting advertising space in a "Campus Life" publication. He further states that this publication is sponsored by other colleges such as Dean College, Bryant College, etc. Local business owners are then asked to purchase advertising space in this publication, which does not exist. Should anyone be approached with this solicitation, please contact Franklin Police and do not purchase "advertising" space.  Dean College has no affiliation with this.   Ken Corkran Director of Law Enforcement Services  and Risk Management 99 Main Street Franklin, MA 02038 508-541-1700 | kcorkran@dean.edu Franklin Downtown Partnership | downtown.franklin@yahoo.com | 774-571-3109 | franklindowntownpartnership.org

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