A phone scam is a fraudulent activity carried out using telecommunications services like phone calls, robocalls, and text messages. These scams are typically aimed at obtaining valuable information and money from potential targets.
In Connecticut, the Department of Consumer Protection handles all matters related to frauds and scams in the state. This department provides several methods that victims of phone scams or people that have been contacted by phone scammers can utilize to report complaints to them.
There are various ways that con artists carry out phone scams. Some of the methods that are frequently reported in the state of Connecticut are:
- Charity Scams, where scammers illicitly solicit funds from unsuspecting members of the public;
- Travel Scams, where scammers offer potential targets misrepresented travel and vacation offers;
- Employment Scams, where scammers offer potential targets non-existent job opportunities;
- Payday Loan Scams, where scammers fraudulently obtain financial and personal information from potential targets under the guise of offering them loans;
- Dating Scams, where scammers target people on dating sites and try to extort money from them;
- Foreign Lottery Scams, where scammers try to obtain money from potential targets by claiming that they are the winners of a lottery or sweepstakes;
- Impersonation Scams, where scammers impersonate relatives or representatives of government agencies, financial institutions, and other well-known establishments
What are Connecticut Charity Scams?
In Connecticut charity scams, scammers try to solicit donations from unsuspecting persons by claiming to be representatives of a charitable organization. These scammers typically ask that these donations be made via cash or wire transfer. Before making any donation to a charitable organization, request detailed information on the organization and confirm that it is registered with the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection. Also, contact the charity to determine if they are aware that donations are being solicited on their behalf. Finally, never send cash donations. Make all donations via checks that are made payable to the charity and not to a person.
What are Connecticut Travel Scams?
Connecticut travel scams involve scammers providing their potential targets with travel and vacation offers that have been falsely represented or are completely nonexistent. These scams are usually targeted at senior citizens and immigrants who have the financial means to travel frequently. One way to avoid falling victim to these scams is by being wary of unsolicited calls and messages that offer unbelievable travel deals. Also, always ask for all details of a travel arrangement in writing and carefully read the fine print. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection also advises residents to make payments for trips via credit card. This makes it easier to dispute any charges if the trip ends up being a travel scam.
What are Connecticut Employment Scams?
In Connecticut employment scams, scammers target unsuspecting victims by posing as employers or job recruiters and offering them attractive employment opportunities. These job opportunities always require some form of up-front payment. In some cases, the scammers may create a fake website for the alleged company that is hiring and use it to obtain personal information from their victims. Connecticut residents can avoid falling victim to these scams by avoiding job listings that require them to share sensitive personal information or send an up-front payment. Always verify any advertised job openings by contacting the company to confirm that the position is available.
What are Connecticut Dating Scams?
In Connecticut dating scams, scammers prey on unsuspecting victims by initiating contact with them through online dating sites and then continuing the conversation through text messages and phone calls. In these scams, the scammers may employ caller ID spoofing or claim to be citizens of the United States that are overseas on business or citizens of foreign countries that plan to visit the United States. During the conversations, the scammers always ask their targets to wire them money. The reason for asking may vary, from recent business losses to medical emergencies. The best way to avoid falling for a dating scam is by never sending money or expensive items to a person you met over the internet, especially if the person requests that you do so. Also, never forward packages to another country or make online purchases for them.
What are Connecticut Foreign Lottery Scams?
In foreign lottery scams, residents of Connecticut are contacted by scammers and told that they are the winners of a huge prize or lump sum, usually from a foreign country. These potential targets are told that they have to pay transfer fees or taxes before claiming their winnings. Lotteries or sweepstakes that require you to make any form of payment before claiming your winnings are illegal in the state of Connecticut, and residents are advised to never respond to any calls or text messages asking them to do so.
What are Connecticut Impersonation Scams?
In Connecticut impersonation scams, residents of the state are contacted by scammers posing as either relatives or representatives of financial institutions, government agencies, or well-known establishments. These scammers always try to obtain money or sensitive information from their targets through various methods. An example is the Social Security Administration (SSA) impersonation scam, where the scammer pretends to be a representative of the SSA and tries to obtain personal information from unsuspecting victims. Another example is the IRS impersonation scam, where the scammer contacts potential targets, tells them that they owe back taxes, and threatens them into making payments for these taxes to avoid legal action.
To avoid falling victim to these types of scams, Connecticut residents are advised to hang up as soon as a caller threatens or tries to pressure them into revealing sensitive information or make any payments, and contact the establishment that the caller claims to represent. If the caller claims to be a relative who is in trouble, you are advised to contact a close family member of the person the caller claims to verify the story before wiring any money.
How Do I Avoid Becoming a Victim of a Phone Scam?
Phone scammers are skilled at fooling unsuspecting victims. To avoid becoming a victim of a phone scam in the state of Connecticut, you should consider taking the following steps:
- Always hang up any call that you suspect is from a scammer;
- Never wire any money to people that claim to be relatives before verifying that they are who they say they are;
- Hang up if a caller tries to pressure you into making a quick decision;
- Do not rely on caller ID information. Most phone scammers spoof their caller IDs.
- Perform phone lookups and reverse phone number lookups on suspicious numbers. If no search result is found during the search, then the call is probably from a spoofed number;
- Always verify that a caller is a representative of the agency or establishment they claim to represent. Hang up if this caller threatens you into making any payments;
- Never divulge sensitive personal or financial information over the phone;
- Never make upfront payments for employment opportunities or to claim lottery and sweepstakes winnings;
- Limit the number of unwanted calls you receive by registering your phone number with the National Do Not Call List. You can also do this by calling 1-888-382-1222;
- Download an app that blocks all unwanted calls. Some phones have this feature built-in to them;
- Report any contact you have with scammers to the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection and the Federal Trade Commission