SALEM, Oregon - Salem Police would like to warn the public of two separate types of scams that have been reported in our area.
The first scam involves the potential victims receiving phone calls from a person claiming to be from a collection agency. In some cases the suspect has called multiple times. The caller tells the victims that he is collecting on a debt default on a loan from "Ace Payday Loans" and is demanding payment. The caller usually has some degree of the victim's personal information such as the last four digits of a credit or debit card and/or part or all of the victim's social security number. In at least two of the cases, the victims did have a loan with a business with the word "Ace" in the business name but they were not in default or behind in payments. The caller then demands payment of some form, usually a credit card number. The caller has also insinuated that there is a warrant for the victim's arrest and/or implies that legal actions such as subpoenas are pending. The caller also sometimes leaves a return phone number that is not a legitimate business phone.
This scam is different from similar types of scams in the past because the caller had significantly more information about the victim than we have seen before. In some of these instances, the victims were suspicious enough and did not provide the caller with information. In one case, the victim kept the caller on the line long enough to get on the internet and check the status of her loan, told the caller she was calling the police, then called her bank to cancel her debit card. This was the correct thing to do!!!! Even if the caller has some correct information about you, don't just assume they are legitimate and give them the information they want. If you receive a call and are not sure if it is legitimate or not, tell the person that you need to verify the validity of the call, then look up the number for the company independently and check with them directly.
The Salem Police Department would like to remind the public to NEVER give out and/or verify any personal information, account numbers or other financial information to anybody over the phone or internet unless you can absolutely verify to whom you are speaking and why the information is needed. If you didn't initiate the call, you should be very careful about giving out any information. If you are not sure about the validity of the call, do not provide credit or debit card numbers or any other form of payment.
If you are asked to go to a particular website and/or to call a phone number to verify or validate the information you are receiving, don't just call that number and assume it is legitimate. Always verify the validity of the phone number by using other means such as telephone directories. Scam artists often set up bogus phone banks and have people answering those phones imitating a legitimate business.
Scam artists also set up bogus websites that look almost identical to authentic websites, even using company logos and symbols. Do not click on links to these websites provided by the suspect or from a suspect message. Go to the internet yourself and research the company and verify the correct website for the company before conducting any further business. Finally, if you are concerned that your credit and/or debit card accounts have been compromised, contact your bank immediately and advise them of this fact. Also, check your credit reports frequently.
The next scam involves at least two cases where elderly people have been approached by suspects offering to perform auto body repair jobs. An initial amount is agreed upon by the victims and suspects for the repairs. The suspects appear to do some work, then later tell the victim they need more money for parts and materials and get more money from the victim. In one case the suspects drove the elderly female to her bank to get more money, and in the other, they stole some cash from the victim's residence then followed him to his bank so he could withdraw even more money for them. The suspects then take the money and never return. The work that was done by the suspects in both cases was of poor quality, and it will most likely cost more to repair what the suspects did than if the repairs were done by a reputable business in the first place.
The Salem Police Crime Prevention Unit recommends that if people approach you to do work on vehicles or your residence, do not agree to any work until you can verify that they are from a valid and reputable business. Ask for proof that they are a legitimate business, then take the time to verify that fact with the Attorney General's Office Consumer Affairs Division and also check for complaints about that business. If you cannot verify the validity of the business and/or you discover substantial complaints about them, seek out a different, reputable business to provide the services you need. Never enter into an agreement without being confident in those with whom you will be dealing, never pre-pay for services, and if you feel uncomfortable with people who approach you at your residence, ask them to leave. If they do not leave, call 911.
