Scam Warning Newsletter
There have been a few attempts at scamming residents using online forums. Please follow the following guidelines* to better protect yourself from online scammers.
Most scams involve one or more of the following:
- The use of Western Union, Money Gram, cashier's check, money order, escrow service.
- Initially paying in excess and then asking for the extra money to be returned.
- Someone far away, often in another country, initiates the transaction.
- Inability or refusal to meet face-to-face before completing transaction.
The following common-sense rules can help you avoid many common scams.
- Deal locally with people you can meet in person.
- Do not send funds through Western Union or Money Gram or any other wire service.
- Scammers use fake cashier checks and money orders. Call the issuing bank and verify the check before depositing it.
- Do not give out personal financial information such as bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.
Most importantly use common sense, if something seems suspicious or if the payment is not done in cash, then one needs to be extra cautious.
*Guidelines based on craigslist scam protection guidelines, for more information refer to http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams
