Scammers target Wake Forest residents

The Wake Forest Police Department is again urging residents to guard against fraud and financial scams following a reported incident involving a phone request for a donation to a local law enforcement agency. Many times, it’s hard to tell what’s a scam and what isn’t, but any time someone asks you to donate money over the phone to law enforcement – play it safe and hang up because it’s likely a scam.

Wake Forest Police officials say no one associated with the police department would ever call you and request a donation over the phone. In addition, to help you keep your hard-earned money, the department is sharing the following tips on how you can avoid becoming a victim of fraud:

1. Never give out your personal information like a Social Security Number, credit card or bank account number, or other personal information to anyone you don’t know who contacts you.
2. When in doubt, pay with a credit card. Credit cards give you protection if your order doesn’t arrive or the work isn’t completed.
3. Don’t respond to unsolicited offers. Be cautious when responding to telemarketers, door-to-door sellers, and email or text pitches. Instead of responding to unsolicited offers, decide when and where you want to go shopping, and do business with companies you know or that come recommended by those you trust. Check out companies with the Attorney General’s Office at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM or your local Better Business Bureau before making major purchases. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
4. Join the Do Not Call registry to cut down on unwanted telemarketing calls. To sign up, call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to register or visit donotcall.gov. Once you’re on the list, report Do No Call violators to the Attorney General’s Office. The Do Not Call registry won’t block all unwanted calls, so if you have a smartphone, contact your telephone provider to install their free call-blocking or call-labeling tools.
5. Check your credit report regularly. You’re entitled to one free credit report per year from each nationwide credit bureau. To access your free credit reports, visit annualcreditreport.comor call 1-877-322-8228. To protect your credit history and cut down on incidents of identity theft, visit the NCDOJ to learn how to get a free security freeze.

If you believe that you are a victim of this type of crime, report it to the Wake Forest Police Department at 919-554-6150.

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