Instances of two common frauds have been reported in the Aberdeen area, the Aberdeen Police Department said Tuesday.
Grays Harbor PUD customers are once again being targeted by a phone scam, in which callers pose as PUD employees and demand payment for past-due bills.
Four local businesses reported being contacted over the weekend by phone scammers. PUD customers were notified of a similar phone scam in February.
“This is an ongoing problem that our customers need to be aware of,” said PUD General Manager Dave Ward. “If you receive an unsolicited phone call from a person claiming to work for the PUD and demanding money, do not under any circumstances assume that they are telling the truth and hand over financial information without checking with PUD Customer Service first.”
Recent reports involved customers being told they could not pay with cash or credit card because it would take 24 hours to process, and are instead told to purchase Green Dot MoneyPaks and share the card numbers over the phone, Capt. John Green wrote in a press release.
Recipients of such fraudulent calls and mailings are advised to first contact company officials to verify the claim and to call law enforcement.
Another scam involves a fake letter from the IRS requesting confidential information, including tax return information and social security number, Green said.
“It appears that this incident is part of the Seattle Archdioceses fraud where past employees and volunteers of organizations within the Seattle Archdiocese are apparent victims of a tax refund scheme,” Green wrote.
The Aberdeen Police Department advises to never respond to unsolicited requests for confidential information. If a person is ever in doubt they may call their local police department or check for current fraud and identity schemes at the Federal Trade Commission website which is, http://ift.tt/1ewe6ik.
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