The Davis Police Department has issued an alert about a recent phone scam in which the caller claims to be a police employee demanding payment for an “educational tax.”
In a call received by a Davis resident, the caller knew the resident’s name and educational background, and the caller ID showed the Police Department’s number. The resident immediately reported the call.
Crooks use clever schemes to defraud millions of people every year, a Police Department spokesman said. They often combine sophisticated technology and new tricks with age-old tricks to get victims to send money or give out personal information.
Remember these tips to avoid being a victim of a telephone scam:
* Register your phone number with the national Do Not Call registry, either online or by calling 888-382-1222. If you still receive telemarketing calls after registering, there’s a good chance they are scams.
* Be wary of callers claiming that you’ve won a prize or vacation package, or that you owe money.
* Hang up on suspicious phone calls.
* Be cautious of caller ID. Scammers can change the phone number that shows up on your screen, a practice called “spoofing.”
* Don’t say anything if a caller starts out by saying, “Can you hear me?” This is a common practice for scammers to record you saying “yes,” then use it as proof that you agreed to a purchase or credit-card charge.
* Don’t provide your credit-card number, bank account information or other personal information to a caller.
* Don’t send money if the caller tells you to wire money or pay with a prepaid debit card.