Loan Scam Circulating Around Prince George's County

GREENBELT, MD — A scam circulating around Prince George's County has caught the eye of the Greenbelt Police Department.

Authorities are warning residents that loan scam phone calls are happening in the area. They're fraudulent attempts to steal residents' personal and financial information by pretending to offer loans that aren't real. The scammers use both robocalls and live agents to claim that a loan has been approved, and represent themselves as underwriters or funding specialists, the police department stated.

"They create a sense of urgency to pressure you into providing sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers and bank details, or to collect fake processing fees," the police department stated.

Greenbelt Police recommends resident stake the following actions to prevent becoming a victim of a scam:

• Do not answer unknown numbers; let them go to voicemail.
• Never provide personal information to unsolicited callers.
• Block suspicious numbers and enable spam protection.
• Register on the National Do Not Call Registry.
• Verify lenders using official websites or the Nationwide Multistate Licensing System (NMLS).
• Report scam calls to the FTC or BBB Scam Tracker.