Scams Continue to Hit Valley County

Phone and internet scams continue to be a problem in Valley County. Sheriff Glen Meier said that in the month of December, several individuals were conned out of a total $15,000 in separate incidents. “Even though the individuals are highly intelligent, they fell prey,” said Meier.

Meier is asking Valley County residents to make a New Year’s resolution to not fall victim to these schemes. With the aid of the internet, scammers are active all over the world. Once money has left the U.S., it is nearly impossible to get it back. The federal government lacks the funds and time to tack down overseas fraudsters, and countries in which the criminals reside will rarely pursue the cases.

Meier stresses, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” He reiterates that gaming and lottery winners will never have to pay to receive a prize. Furthermore, unless you’ve solicited or initiated contact with a company, do not expect to randomly win prizes.

Once an individual has been taken by one scheme, they are likely to be targeted again. New scams are popping up nearly every week. Meier expressed frustration, “It’s so, so hard. People need help, but there’s not much we can do.”

Exercise caution when taking phone calls, or don’t answer calls from unknown numbers. Do not give out SSNs, credit card numbers or other personal information. Protect yourself online by using PayPal or other known merchant businesses. Stick to established businesses, or shop local. Report suspicious calls or emails to local law enforcement or to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov. If you have questions, call 228-4333.