BEAUMONT, Texas — With the holiday shopping season here in full force, law enforcement agencies want people to remember that scammers are on the lookout for victims even more than usual.
When something seems to good to be true, it probably is.
Beaumont Police Department officer Haley Morrow said it's important to keep your eyes open, and offered some tips on how to make sure you don't become someone's victim.
Scams can look legitimate, as thieves try to impersonate law enforcement, companies or public officials.
"Don't be fooled by caller IDs saying Beaumont Police Department or Entergy or the IRS, because it's very easy nowadays with technology for people to spoof what the caller ID reads," Morrow said.
She said these scams can be anything from phone calls to text alerts.
"I get one often that says that, 'Thank you for your payment to the Home Depot credit card.' I don't have a Home Depot credit card, so emails that say your Apple account is locked out. If your Apple account is working then that's spam and you need to watch out for that," Morrow said.
Officer Morrow said while there's no foolproof way to prevent cyber crimes, it's important to know how to detect them.
"The obvious things, obviously like purchasing a gift card, being told that you're about to be arrested. There are ways that you can verify all that by contacting the correct agency, whether it's Entergy or the IRS. The Social Security Administration," Morrow said.
Law enforcement sees scams year-round, but the holiday season usually means an uptick in fraudsters trying to get your money.
"Unfortunately you just can't trust anyone these days," Morrow said.
It's important to be extra careful if you're buying or selling items online.
"We've had a plethora of cases where buyer or seller was robbed," Morrow said. "Whatever the case may be, from a transaction that went down online."
Here are some ways you can keep yourself safe:
- Always meet in a public area if buying/selling items
- Meet somewhere well-lit. The parking lot of the police station is sometimes a good idea.
- Remember, be skeptical, even if caller ID shows a familiar company name
- If it sounds too good to true, it probably is
- Report scams to the Better Business Bureau
