GROVELAND 一 Chief Jeffrey Gillen and the Groveland Police Department warn residents of an increase of phishing and spoofing scams in which telephone numbers are impersonated.
According to the FBI, spoofing is when a scammer disguises an email address, phone number or sender name, often by changing one number or letter, to manipulate you into thinking that you are interacting with a trusted source. Phishing often uses spoofing techniques to lure the target into clicking on a specific link or replying to what is believed to be a legitimate email address or business inquiry.
In both spoofing and phishing scams, the scammer asks for personal, financial, or other sensitive information that they can use or steal for their own gain.
The Groveland Police Department has investigated two cases recently in which residents fell victim to a spoofing scam.
In these instances, the scammer posed as a bank worker and calls customers who they may already have basic information about. The scammers tell the victim they will send a code to their phone, which they then ask the victim to read the code over the phone to verify it is them, along with basic identifying information.
The scammer will then use the identifying information to add themselves to the victim’s account, allowing them to withdraw money directly.
Anyone discovering unauthorized payments from a bank account is asked to contact their financial institution immediately to request a recall of the funds, then report the incident to law enforcement.
The Groveland Police Department would like to share the following safety tips from the FBI to help prevent against spoofing and phishing:
- Set up two-factor (or multi-factor) authentication on any account that allows it, and never disable it.
- Verify all requested payments or transactions in person or via a known telephone number that you call.
- Educate yourself and your employees about common scams and strategies for protecting yourself.
- Remember that companies generally don’t contact you to ask for your username or password.
- Remember that government agencies, and especially law enforcement, will not generally call or email you in pursuit of payments or other money that may be owed.
- Do not click on any links or attachments in an unsolicited email or text message. Look up the company or individual on your own and contact the company to see if the request is legitimate.
- Carefully examine the email address, web address, and spelling used in any messages. Scammers often use slight differences to trick your eye and gain your trust.
- Use extra caution anytime someone is urging you to send a payment or transfer money quickly.
- Be careful with what information you share online or on social media. Openly sharing things like pet names, schools you attended, and other personal information can enable scammers to access information they need to guess your passwords or answer your security questions.
If you are ever unsure about a potential scam, contact the Groveland Police Department at 978-521-1212.
For more information about spoofing or phishing click here.
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