Polk County has recently experienced an increase in phone and email scams, causing Iowans to lose their hard-earned money. According to the Polk County Sheriff's Office, scammers regularly target elders in the community. These crimes are exceptionally difficult to investigate and victims rarely get their money back.
"They're very good at what they do," explains Polk County Sheriff Kevin Schneider, "and people are losing a lot of money."
Scammers will regularly use the following stories to try to trick you.
- Family member in trouble
- Missed jury duty causing a warrant
- Fines for legal issues
- Market place or for-sale ads
- Home repair for natural disaster
- Asking for donations for law-enforcement
If the caller does any of the following, it's likely that they're attempting to scam you.
- Payment to avoid legal trouble or arrest
- No in-person payment options
- Odd or unusual payment types, such as gift cards
- Aggressive behavior by person on phone
- Claims there is an emergency
- Contact you out of the blue
- Sounds too good to be true
Here's what to do if you receive a scam call.
- Hang up!
- Ask the caller questions
- Do not answer any questions
- Block the caller
- Report the scam
- Contact law enforcement
For more information, visit the Federal Trade Commission website.