Police warn of new telephone scams

Pocatello Police are warning people to be aware of two new telephone scams in the area. In the first, a caller poses as a federal grant writer. The caller claims you are eligible for a $100,000 grant (or any other dollar amount) if you wire an amount of money to pay the taxes. Usually, the caller suggests a Western Union wire. Keep in mind, it is illegal for anyone to require an up-front payment to receive any winnings. A legitimate grant-writer, for example, would take the taxes out of the grant or prize before they give it to you. The second scam is a pre-recorded phone call in which the caller asks, “can you hear me okay?” According to police, the con artist is trying to get you to say “yes”. Your recorded response is then used by the scammer to illicitly authorize unwanted charges on your phone, utility bill, or on a stolen credit card number. Consumers should monitor their credit card, banking, phone, and cable statements carefully for any unfamiliar charges. If you find any, contact the billing company immediately to dispute the charges. If you lose money in these scams, report it to your local police department. You may also report the scam call to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov/complaint or call 1-877-382-4357.