The Ridgewood Blog Brings a Free Market Laissez-faire Point of View to Local, New Jersey State and National Issues.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, on Thursday July 20th at 8:26 PM a Glen Rock resident reported to the Glen Rock Police that she was contacted by an unknown person who told her that he was holding her daughter hostage and demanded $5,000 to let her go, which is a common phone scam. The victim was able to contact her son to verify that her daughter was OK and did not lose any money as a result of the attempted scam.
Continue reading Glen Rock Resident Gets Hit With “Hostage Scam”
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Saddle River NJ, Saddle River Police have been made aware of a phone scammer pretending to be an Officer with the Saddle River Police Department. The call is regarding fake open warrants for your arrest. If you receive any calls from someone regarding open warrants for your arrest, you should verify with you local Police Department by calling the publicly listed phone number for your LOCAL law enforcement. DO NOT provide any identifying information to these callers, it will be used in additional scams. If you have any questions or feel you may have been a victim of one of these event’s please call the police desk to discuss the situation with a Police Officer.
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, the CDC warns about COVID-19-Related Phone Scams and Phishing Attacks:
Continue reading COVID-19-Related Phone Scams and Phishing Attacks
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report a Godwin Avenue resident responded to Ridgewood Police headquarters on October 14, 2019 to report a fraud. The victim reported he received a phone call and was convinced to provide personal information to the actor who impersonated a federal agent. The victim reported he provided his social security number to the fraudulent caller. The victim was advised of the precautions to take after providing personal information.
the satff of thre Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office has received complaints regarding a recent “open-warrant” phone scam. Several residents have received phone calls from individuals perpetrating this fraud who claim to be Sheriff Officers with the “Division of Warrants and Citations” at the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. The scam call advises potential victims they are in contempt of court for “failing to appear” for an outstanding summons, resulting in a warrant being issued for their arrest.
Continue reading The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office has received complaints regarding a recent “open-warrant” phone scam
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
PEARL RIVER NY ,The busy end-of-summer season is now in full swing and crooks are counting on an unsuspecting public letting down its guard – distracted with summer vacations ending, adults returning to work, students returning to school.
As a result, Orange and Rockland customers are being hounded by a new round of persistent predatory phone calls from phony bill collectors trying to steal their money.
The scheme goes this way: individuals posing as O&R employees call unsuspecting customers and threaten them with the immediate shut off of their electric service if they don’t pay phony O&R bills with Green Dot or other prepaid debit cards.
Continue reading ORANGE & ROCKLAND WARNS: CROOKS MAKE SUMMER’S END PUSH IN BILL PAYMENT FRAUD
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, we have mentioned this in the past but it bears repeating, for scammers, your Social Security number is a gold-plated and diamond-encrusted asset, and now they have a new way to try to steal yours and get paid.
Consumer advocates are raising an alarms about a twist to an old impostor phone scam. It’s called the “Social Security impostor scam.” A blog at the Federal Trade Commission recently wrote: “In the shady world of government, the SSA scam may be the new IRS scam.”
Continue reading Warning that your Social Security number has been suspended because of suspicious activity……
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
**Phone Scam Alert***
Ridgewood NJ, The New Jersey State Police is investigating a series of fraudulent phone calls (spoof calls) requesting Social Security numbers from private citizens.
The suspect(s) are using the legitimate phone number, 609-452-2601, for the New Jersey State Police Transportation Safety Bureau office and are posing as New Jersey State Troopers. During the calls, a man with a foreign accent will inform the victim that they are police officers with the New Jersey State Police. They attempt to frighten victims by claiming that they have received multiple complaints associated with their Social Security number.
Continue reading New Jersey State Police Report Phone Scam
Trenton NJ, The New Jersey State Police are reporting during the last week, law enforcement agencies in New Jersey began investigating a phone scam that threatens to harm victims’ family members if money is not wired to the caller. The most recent incident was reported to the New Jersey State Police Perryville Station.
The details of each respective occurrence vary slightly, however, there are several factors common with all of the incidents. All of the calls are made from 331-240-1294 and a computerized voice claims to be watching the victim’s house. The message directs the victim to call the above number and threatens to harm their family if money is not wired as per their instructions.
If you receive a call like the one described, please notify your local police immediately. DO NOT, under any circumstance, call the number back or wire money to the caller.
The incidents are currently under investigation and there is no additional information available at this time.
file photo by Boyd Loving
The Scam
Sometimes imposters contact PSE&G customers demanding immediate payment and threatening service shut off. Don’t be a victim…be prepared.
February 28,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Wyckoff NJ, the Wyckoff Police Department has issued a scam alert , from time to time, residents receive calls from people claiming to be the Wyckoff Police Department or other various Law Enforcement organizations requesting donations. Please note that the Wyckoff Police Department / Wyckoff PBA, will never contact you via the telephone and will only do so through the US Postal mail. You can always request the information be mailed to you should you fear the organization calling appears to not be legit. If you need any further assistance with the organizations validity, please feel free to call our department for assistance.
February 17,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WASHINGTON DC, Aggressive and threatening phone calls by criminals impersonating IRS agents remain a major threat to taxpayers, headlining the annual “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams for the 2016 filing season, the Internal Revenue Service announced today.
The IRS has seen a surge of these phone scams as scam artists threaten police arrest, deportation, license revocation and other things. The IRS reminds taxpayers to guard against all sorts of con games that arise during any filing season.
“Taxpayers across the nation face a deluge of these aggressive phone scams. Don’t be fooled by callers pretending to be from the IRS in an attempt to steal your money,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “We continue to say if you are surprised to be hearing from us, then you’re not hearing from us.”
“There are many variations. The caller may threaten you with arrest or court action to trick you into making a payment,” Koskinen added. “Some schemes may say you’re entitled to a huge refund. These all add up to trouble. Some simple tips can help protect you.”
The Dirty Dozen is compiled annually by the IRS and lists a variety of common scams taxpayers may encounter any time during the year. Many of these con games peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns or hire someone to do so.
This January, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) announced they have received reports of roughly 896,000 contacts since October 2013 and have become aware of over 5,000 victims who have collectively paid over $26.5 million as a result of the scam.
“The IRS continues working to warn taxpayers about phone scams and other schemes,” Koskinen said. “We especially want to thank the law-enforcement community, tax professionals, consumer advocates, the states, other government agencies and particularly the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration for helping us in this battle against these persistent phone scams.”
Protect Yourself
Scammers make unsolicited calls claiming to be IRS officials. They demand that the victim pay a bogus tax bill. They con the victim into sending cash, usually through a prepaid debit card or wire transfer. They may also leave “urgent” callback requests through phone “robo-calls,” or via a phishing email.
Many phone scams use threats to intimidate and bully a victim into paying. They may even threaten to arrest, deport or revoke the license of their victim if they don’t get the money.
Scammers often alter caller ID numbers to make it look like the IRS or another agency is calling. The callers use IRS titles and fake badge numbers to appear legitimate. They may use the victim’s name, address and other personal information to make the call sound official.
Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam.
The IRS will never:
Call to demand immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill.
Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.
Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.
Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.
Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
If you don’t owe taxes, or have no reason to think that you do:
Do not give out any information. Hang up immediately.
Contact TIGTA to report the call. Use their “IRS Impersonation Scam Reporting” webpage. You can also call 800-366-4484.
Report it to the Federal Trade Commission. Use the “FTC Complaint Assistant” on FTC.gov. Please add “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
If you know you owe, or think you may owe tax:
Call the IRS at 800-829-1040. IRS workers can help you.
Stay alert to scams that use the IRS as a lure. Tax scams can happen any time of year, not just at tax time. For more, visit “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” on IRS.gov.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
November 13,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Midland Park NJ, Midland Park Police report thay have received reports of a male phone caller representing himself as an employee of PSE&G who is requesting money be sent to avoid a disruption of electrical service. This is a SCAM do not send money to anyone without first contacting PSE&G directly. Verify your account status with a legitimate phone number for PSE&G. The male caller will provide you with a phone number that is related to the SCAM. If you receive this type of phone call simply hang up and contact PSE&G for your account status
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Glen Rock NJ, a Glen Rock reader point this out to us ,well I guess you are not the only one according to the the Glen Rock Police Dept they received two automated calls in the past hour indicating that the IRS had issued an arrest warrant for us. We were told to call a 908 area code phone number (which we did….) and spoke with several males with Indian accents. Please help spread the word that these calls are scams trying to scare people into paying money. If we received two calls to our department line, we are sure other Glen Rock area residents are receiving them as well. The IRS or any police agency will never issue warrants to people over the telephone and would never require any type of bail money to be paid via Western Union or other wire service. Help educate others and avoid becoming a victim.
March 22,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police report that on March 16, a Ponfield Place resident reported a theft by deception. The resident reported receiving a phone call from an individual claiming to be from the I.R.S. The caller reported the victim owed $6000 and needed to pay immediately or they would be arrested. The victim was instructed to purchase sixty iTunes gift cards to bring her account up to date. The victim then purchased sixty $100 gift cards and the caller requested the serial numbers, the victim then scratched off the back portion of the gift cards and provided all the serial numbers. The victim realized shortly thereafter the call was a scam and reported the incident to the iTunes theft department, the victim was then advised to report the incident to the Ridgewood Police Department before they would further their investigation.
The Ridgewood Police Department once again would like to remind citizens of the increased amount of scams. Always investigate communications made through postal mail, telephone, and/or the internet to prevent fraud and deceptive activity. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Ridgewood Police Department to ensure you’re not becoming a victim of these scams.
