By Wesley Harris
The Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office is reporting another round of phone scams has hit the area.
LPSO says its main telephone number (318-251-5111) is showing up on caller IDs with the names of current and former employees being used by the caller. The caller tells call receivers they have an active arrest warrant or failed to show up for jury duty or neglected some other legal matter.
Callers may demand a form of payment over the phone, LPSO says, often recommending untraceable gift cards or online money transfers.
These calls are NOT coming from LPSO. The LPSO phone number is being “spoofed” to make it appear the call is legitimate.
“Please do not fall for this,” LPSO urges.
The same scam hit the region in March. In those cases, Sheriff Stephen Williams said the scammers directed victims to go to a local business to send the demanded money by way of Western Union.
A similar scam struck the families of several local collegiate athletes last year. Parents received phone calls from scammers claiming to be part of the campus police department. The calls spoofed police numbers to make them look more realistic. The scammers claimed to have a student in custody or that an arrest warrant was being obtained unless payment was made immediately. The scammers asked for a pre-paid credit card, gift card, digital currency, or money transfer to post bond or pay off a criminal charge.
The Sheriff’s Office suggests these tips from the Better Business Bureau to avoid scams.
1. Never send money via gift card or wire transfer to someone you have never met face-to-face. Never!
2. Avoid clicking on links or opening attachments in unsolicited emails.
3. Don’t believe everything you see. Scammers are great at mimicking official seals, fonts, and other details. Caller ID is commonly faked.
4. Double-check that your online purchase is secure before checking out. Look for the “HTTPS” in the URL (the extra s is for “secure”) and a small lock icon on the address bar.
5. Use extreme caution when dealing with anyone you’ve met online. Scammers use dating websites, Craigslist, social media, and many other sites to reach potential targets.
6. Never share personally identifiable information with someone who has contacted you unsolicited, whether it’s over the phone, by email, on social media, or even at your front door. This includes banking and credit card information, your birthdate, and Social Security/Social Insurance numbers.
7. Resist the pressure to act immediately. Shady actors typically try to make you think something is scarce or a limited-time offer. They push victims to make a decision right now before thinking through it, asking family members, friends, or financial advisors.
8. Use secure and traceable transactions. Do not pay by wire transfer, prepaid money card, gift card, or another non-traditional payment method.
9. Whenever possible, work with local businesses. Ask that they have proper identification, licensing, and insurance, especially contractors who will be in your home or anyone dealing with your money or sensitive information.
10. Be cautious about what you share on social media. Consider only connecting with people you already know. Check the privacy settings on all social media and online accounts.
For more details on these tips, visit https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams.
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