Fraud info a phone call away for Longboaters

Violent crime is rare on Longboat Key, but financial crime is another story. With its many older citizens, the Key is an attractive target for scammers.

“They have a nest egg,” Longboat Key Deputy Police Chief Frank Rubino said of the typical elderly resident. “They’re less likely to report fraud, and if they do report it, they’re less likely to remember all the details. They’re more likely to have been raised to be trusting.”

Police want to help residents avoid common scams that are becoming increasingly common not just on the Key, but throughout the country, so they’ve developed a new program to educate residents. The department will send an officer to give a presentation to any Longboat Key organization, including condo/homeowners associations, that requests one.

Many of the latest scams occur via phone, email or websites and originate overseas.

“They’re flooding the country with these things,” said Sgt. Detective Robert Bourque, who recently learned about the latest tactics scammers use at an FBI seminar in Orlando, referring to online phishers. “They’re sending out hundreds of thousands of these things, and they only need a fraction of a percentage to respond.”

If an individual sends money overseas, it’s often impossible for authorities to recover. Although resources are available for identity theft victims, “it’s still a nightmare,” according to Bourque. Stolen credit card information often ends up on sites like Craigslist, where thieves sell account and PIN numbers in batches.

“All of us get our credit cards compromised at some point,” Bourque said.

Phishers will often seek personal information by claiming to represent the Treasury Department, IRS or a bank or credit card company, but police stress that no legitimate agency or bank will seek unsolicited information — no matter how believable the caller sounds or how official the email or website appears.

“No government agency or legitimate bank is going to send them an email or call them on the phone and ask for all this info,” Bourque said. “They aren’t going to call and ask for a PIN number to verify information.”

If banks see suspicious activity, they will ask you to verify specific transactions but won’t ask for account information. The IRS will send a letter in the mail or an agent to your home if you owe back taxes. The agency does not accept phone payments — despite what callers say in a scam that’s become increasingly common on the Key and elsewhere in which they threaten to arrest you in minutes if you don’t send money right away.

Police urge residents to be vigilant by checking their credit reports, shredding bank statements and installing software that checks for malware, which can be used to access personal information stored on a computer.

“What we’re trying to do is educate citizens about fraud and the easiest ways to manage this,” Rubino said.

To schedule a presentation for your organization, call Longboat Key Police at 316-1977.

IF THE CALLER CLAIMS TO BE ...
Your grandchild
What he/she says: “I’ve been arrested in another country and need to make bail.” Sometimes the caller is especially believable because he/she has details about the person’s actual grandchild gathered from online sources.

The real deal: The caller will ask you to wire money or send it to a prepaid debit card.

A representative from your bank or credit card company
What he/she says: “There’s suspicious activity on your account, so I need you to verify your account and PIN numbers.”

The real deal: The caller is trying to get your account information for fraudulent purposes. Banks and credit card companies will never contact you to ask for your account information.

A U.S. Department of Treasury agent
What he/she says: “You owe back taxes, and you will be arrested immediately if you do not make a payment.”

The real deal: The caller is trying to scare you into making a payment by wiring money or sending it through a prepaid debit card. The IRS and Treasury Department will send a letter or an agent to your home if you owe money.

What to do if you receive a similar call
• Ask for the caller’s number and tell him/her you will return the call.

• Verify information by calling your family, bank or credit card company or the IRS.

• Report the scam to the company or agency the caller claimed to represent.

• Call police if you’ve lost money.

What not to do
• Provide personal or account information over the phone or online

• Send or wire money