Press release
The Batavia Police Department has been made aware of a scam in which suspects will contact immigrants claiming to be government agents. The suspects will inform the individuals that their accounts have been flagged for sending money to terrorist organizations and demand that the individuals send them gift cards to correct the issue. The suspects will threaten to have the individuals deported if they do not comply.
The United States Government will never require the purchasing of gift cards to clear any issues. Citizens who receive these calls should never comply and not provide any personal information to the suspects.
Follows these tips from the Federal Trade Commission to help avoid fraud:
1. Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust, like a government official, a family member, a charity, or a company you do business with. Don’t send money or give out personal information in response to an unexpected request — whether it comes as a text, a phone call, or an email.
2. Do online searches. Type a company or product name into your favorite search engine with words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” Or search for a phrase that describes your situation, like “IRS call.” You can even search for phone numbers to see if other people have reported them as scams.
3. Don’t believe your caller ID. Technology makes it easy for scammers to fake caller ID information, so the name and number you see aren’t always real. If someone calls asking for money or personal information, hang up. If you think the caller might be telling the truth, call back to a number you know is genuine.
4. Don’t pay upfront for a promise. Someone might ask you to pay in advance for things like debt relief, credit and loan offers, mortgage assistance, or a job. They might even say you’ve won a prize, but first you have to pay taxes or fees. If you do, they will probably take the money and disappear.