Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office Issues Warning About Phone Scams

Authorities are warning Monmouth County residents about four common phone scams.

In a news release, acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said he wanted to remind residents to remain on guard for the scams “that continue to work their way across the country and within Monmouth County.”

“The criminals associated with telephone and online scams are getting more sophisticated and approach consumers with enough legitimate-sounding information to seem credible, even to a savvy consumer. It’s important for the public to be aware of these newest ploys so that they can be on guard to protect their identity and their bank accounts,” Gramiccioni said in a prepared statement.

The news release detailed the scams:

IRS SCAM

A caller poses as an Internal Revenue Service agent claiming that back taxes are owed. Authorities say anyone who believes they may owe back taxes, should never provide any information to anyone over the phone. Instead, they should call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 to ask about their current tax status. The IRS will mail letters to anyone who owes back taxes. They never make cold calls and never demand cash or threaten immediate police actions.

CREDIT CARD SCAM

Legitimate credit card companies will never call customers to ask them to verify Card Security Codes or Card Verification Value (CVV) numbers on the back of their credit card, but authorities say this type of fraud is becoming more common. Callers often already have a great deal of personal information about their target, which makes them seem like a legitimate representative of a credit card company.

The con artists often say their fraud department has noticed unusual purchases on an account and will ask to verify some information. They already have their victim’s address and provide a case or control number for their research. Instead of giving them information, anyone who gets such a call should tell the caller they will call the credit card company directly for verification of the conversation. Victims should then call the fraud department of their credit card issuers.

A FAMILY MEMBER IN NEED OF HELP

This scam often targeting senior citizens. Callers pretend to be grandchildren who are far from home and need financial assistance.

“These unexpected phone calls always come unannounced,” Gramiccioni said. “The voice on the other end of the phone claims to be a grandchild in a very low tone, there is concern in their voice as they inform you they are on some vacation you never heard about and that they somehow got arrested and are sitting in some jail in a foreign country. They need your help. They need bail money. They ask you not to say anything to anyone because they are embarrassed. Hang up and call a family member to try to verify the whereabouts of your grandchild. Do not provide a credit card number over the phone in response to such a call.”

UTILITY PHONE SCAM

A caller threatens to shut off power or water service at a residence or business unless direct payment is made using a pre-paid debit card, such as a Green Dot card. The con artists sound convincing. The call may appear legitimate because the con artists spoof the CallerID to indicate it is coming from a utility company’s phone number – but it’s not. Anyone who gets such as call should hang up and call their utility company directly.

Anyone who has been the victim of a scam, should call their local police department or contact the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443.

For more information, visit the New Jersey Consumer Affairs website at www.njconsumeraffairs.gov