Pssst….money doesn’t grow on trees.

FREE MONEY!!!

Have you ever heard nothing in life is free? That’s pretty accurate, unless you are lucky enough to meet the Secret Santa who hands out $100.00 bills. What is the point of this post you may ask?

When you fall for the telephone scammer from

• The IRS
• The free government grant/loan
• The free cruise/vacation
• Window’s Tech Support
• Fake debt collectors/aged out debt
• Threats of being arrested
• Fake charities
• Your family member has been arrested in a foreign country and needs bail money

YOU give them your MONEY FOR FREE.

We cannot stress enough……DO NOT give your personal, bank accounts or credit card information to an unsolicited caller. ITUNES gift cards is not an accepted form of payment to the government. These folks are sophisticated. They have separated many smart people from their money. And, once the money is gone, IT IS GONE! Your local police department does not have the resources to track it and retrieve it.

When in doubt, give us a shout! We would rather you keep your money than to call us after the fact.
The best present you could give to yourself this season is to heed this advice and to SHARE THIS INFORMATION with everyone you know.

The Merrimack NH Police Department has taken numerous complaints regarding solicitors calling residents posing as representatives from Senior Alert Care Company. The solicitors are stating that one of your family members has purchased a medical alert system for you and they tell you the only cost to you is a $1.00 a day monitoring fee and to sign up they ask you for a credit card number to set up your account. This is a nation-wide SCAM!, Do not give out your credit card information. To help our citizens with solicitors, we recommend you call your phone company to block all calls from solicitors if possible. If you have questions, call the Newington Police Department at:  431-5461 or 436-7033.

A business here in Newington received a call from a gentleman claiming to be a representative from the Disconnect Department at EVERSOURCE. He claims that your bill is 3 months overdue and the balance is some exorbitant amount that needs to be paid immediately. This is a scam so please be aware.

As technology advances, so do the crimes. Now that some credit cards have a wireless technology embedded in them, thieves can acquire inexpensive equipment to obtain your wi-fi enabled credit card without picking your pocket. While they can’t obtain your CVV (your card validation code, typically the three digit number printed on the back of most cards), they can obtain the number of your card.

Please watch this short Youtube video about keeping your credit cards safe from “no contact pick pocketers”. Then go check your cards to see if they are susceptible to this kind of fraud. A few minutes could potentially save you from being a victim.

Check your newer credit cards for the Wi-Fi Symbol on it.

PROTECT YOUR WALLET
Invest in a RFID blocking wallet which is constructed out of a material that blocks radio waves.
It’s an inexpensive way to protect yourself from this high-tech theft.

For more information, please visit Snopes.com.

Questions about donation solicitations: 1-603-271-3591

The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau acts to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive trade practices in New Hampshire.

Federal Trades Commission: Fighting Scams and Fraud

Snopes.Com says this is true: To verify see this site: http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/creditcard.asp

This one is pretty slick since they provide YOU with all the information, except the one piece they want.
Note: The callers do not ask for your card number; they already have it… This information is worth reading. By understanding how the VISA & Master Card Telephone Credit Card Scam works, you’ll be better prepared to protect yourself.

The scam works like this:

Caller: “This is (name), and I’m calling from the Security and Fraud Department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I’m calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card which was issued by (name of bank). Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a Marketing company based in ?”

When you say “No”, the caller continues with, “Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to (gives you your address), is that correct?”
You say “yes”. The caller continues – “I will be starting a Fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 1- 800 number listed on the back of your card (1-800 -VISA) and ask for Security.”
“You will need to refer to this Control Number.” The caller then gives you a 6 digit number. “Do you need me to read it again?”

Here’s the IMPORTANT part on how the scam works.
The caller then says, “I need to verify you are in possession of your card”. He’ll ask you to “turn your card over and look for some numbers”. There are 7 numbers; the first 4 are part of your card number, the next 3 are the security Numbers that verify you are the possessor of the card. These are the numbers you sometimes use to make Internet purchases to prove you have the card. The caller will ask you to read the 3 numbers to him. After you tell the caller the 3 numbers, he’ll say, ‘That is correct. I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions?” After you say No, the caller then thanks you and states, “Don’t hesitate to call back if you do”, and hangs up.

You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card number. The REAL VISA Security Department told us it is a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 was charged to our card.

What the scammers want is the 3-digit PIN number on the back of the card – don’t give it to them. Instead, tell them you’ll call VISA or Master card directly for verification of their conversation. The real VISA told us that they will never ask for anything on the card as they already know the information since they issued the card! If you give the scammers your 3 Digit PIN Number, you think you’re receiving a credit. However, by the time you get your statement you’ll see charges for purchases you didn’t make, and by then it’s almost too late and/or more difficult to actually file a fraud report.

Scam Targeting Elderly Residents in the New England Area

Set-up:

A male subject calls the victim pretending to be their grandson. The suspect actually uses the victim’s grandson’s name. The suspect requests $4,800 saying:

A. He was in a car accident and needs the money to repair the vehicle before he can be released from jail or

B. A friend drove him to Canada and he needs money to fly back home.

**The phone reception is always of poor quality and the victims believe the suspect is their grandson. **The suspect requests the money be transferred via money gram from a Wal-mart to Canada. **Victims of the scam have been identified from the mid-coast and central Maine down to southern N.H.

Tips to Protect Yourself:

***Never give any financial or personal information about yourself to anyone via the phone, internet, mailings or any other form of communication where you do not know with whom you are dealing.

***Never send or wire any money to unfamiliar companies or unknown persons.

***Be very cautious in speaking with anyone calling or e-mailing you representing a company or organization:

a. Your financial institution will never ask you for your PIN number.

b. Legitimate companies or government officials won’t pressure you to make snap decisions.

***Before answering any solicitations made by phone talk it over with a trusted friend, family member or financial advisor.

NEWINGTON RESIDENTS: For more information on protecting yourself from scams and identity theft, keep checking the Newington Police Dept. WEB site: www.newingtonnhpd.com for updates or contact Detective Sergeant Tony Harland via e-mail: tharland@nullnewingtonnhpd.com or call (603) 431-5461 x 102.

“You Won Money”

Recently the Chief of Police has spoken with some town residents who have received telephone calls claiming they won a considerable amount of cash. The caller then requests certain personal/confidential information.  As a reminder, don’t ever give out any personal information (social security number, bank information, etc.) on the telephone.

If you have questions or concerns, contact the Chief of Police at (603) 431-5461.