Pay Slip Scam Targets Montgomery County Employees: Police

SILVER SPRING, MD — A letter sent last week to a Silver Spring woman who had worked for Montgomery County was a scam, part of an attempt to gain credit card information, police say. The scam's target called Montgomery County Police on Dec. 20 to report the hoax.

The one-time Montgomery County government employee had last worked for the county about a year ago, but recently received a letter in the mail with Montgomery County government letterhead stating that the county would stop mailing pay slips to its employees. The letter instructed the former employee to register for an online service called “Oracle ESS” by using her email account and to call 1-877-613-5121 if she needed assistance.

When the letter recipient called the telephone number given in the email, a man who answered the phone told the caller that she was the winner of an “energy credit” and all that was needed was for her to pay a shipping and handling cost. The man then asked for a credit card number, which the former employee refused to provide; instead she hung up and called police.

Investigators called the same telephone number and determined that the information and instructions given in the letter were not part of a legitimate Montgomery County government service.

Anyone who receives a letter similar to this scam should call the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

Here's what police say to do if you receive a letter, email, or phone call that you believe is a scam:

• Do not provide information over the phone. Scammers often ask leading questions to retrieve information from you. Often, you do not realize that you are giving them valuable information.
• Scammers create a sense of urgency. Slow down and ask the caller for detailed information and a contact number. Tell the caller you will call them back. Then, attempt to verify the caller’s story by calling family or friends.
• Remember that scammers often use a technique called “spoofing," which provides a fake number to a caller ID display.
• Do not send money.
• Most importantly, contact police immediately if you believe you are the victim of a telephone scam.