Attorney General Chris Carr is warning the public about a scam where con artists pose as government officials in an attempt to add credibility to their schemes. Specifically, we are aware that a robocall is making the rounds saying the Attorney General’s office is calling about “your case” and instructing the recipient to press “1” to avoid negative consequences.
“Scammers will sometimes impersonate government entities to add credibility to their scheme,” cautions Attorney General Carr. “We encourage citizens to learn the warning signs of these imposter scams so they don’t lose money or divulge personal or financial information to a fraudster.”
The Attorney General’s Office does not make robocalls. Here are additional red flags of a scam:
- Use of scare tactics, e.g. telling you a loved one is in danger, that your computer has been hacked or threatening arrest if you don’t act now.
- Asking you to pay with gift cards, money transfers or cryptocurrency
- Pressure to act immediately
- Being asked to pay money in order to receive a prize
- Get-rich-quick and other promises that sound too good to be true
- Promises to recover money you’ve lost in other scams, for a fee
Remember – never share personal or financial information with anyone who contacts you. Instead, verify the truthfulness of the caller’s claims by looking up the government agency’s official contact information on the internet and checking with them directly.
Read more about government imposter scams from our partners at the FTC:
https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2021/03/when-its-not-really-government-calling
