By Conrad Dudderar
Staff Writer
The Yukon Police Department has received reports of attempted phone scams targeting the elderly.
These callers are claiming to be Medicare or credit card company representatives and are requesting personal information.
Yukon Police Maj. Matt Fairchild recommends Yukon residents always be suspicious of any phone calls they receive when the caller is asking for this type of information.
“There have been a few of our residents who have received these phone calls, and there may be others receiving phone calls that aren’t being reported to us,” Maj. Fairchild said.
“There’s really no situation, at all, where people need to be providing personal information over the phone. They only need to be doing that face-to-face.”
Legitimate companies or government entities will not request personal details – like social security numbers, birth dates and credit card information – over the phone.
“We want to encourage people to check on any family members who could become victims of these types of scams,” Fairchild said. “Educate them on the importance of not providing their information so they don’t fall prey to these scams.”
The scam callers target the vulnerable population, specifically senior citizens.
“They’re bullies,” Fairchild added. “They use a lot of scare tactics and threaten you.”
Some victims are placed in fear that if they don’t provide the information the scam caller requests, they will face consequences.
FOREIGN SCAMMERS
Law enforcement agencies like the YPD have seen an increase in phone scams in recent years.
Working with the Secret Service, YPD officials have learned many of these scammers are calling from other countries.
“They’re able to use Google, and make it seem like you’re receiving a local phone call,” Fairchild related. “When in actuality, they’re calling from a different country.
“When people see it’s a local phone number, they think it’s OK.”
Yukon Police previously received reports of other phone scams involving callers posing as representatives of the Internal Revenue Service, credit collection agencies – and even law enforcement.
“They would claim that there was a ‘warrant out for your arrest if you don’t pay this’,” Fairchild shared. “There’s lots of different tactics that they use.”
For more information, call Yukon Police at (405) 354-2553 or e-mail ypd@yukonok.gov
