Dear editor,
If you鈥檙 ephoned from an unknown number or one you don鈥檛 recognize, it鈥檚 not Santa Claus asking if you鈥檝e been naughty or nice. It鈥檚 probably a scammer out to fill his own Christmas stocking with your money.
These thieves have called me unsuccessfully several times this week. They seem particularly active at this time of year. They鈥檒l often call early in the morning, assuming that you鈥檙e not fully awake. If you鈥檙e a senior, you鈥檙e a target because they think you鈥檙e not mentally alert or that you鈥檙e easily scared.
The scammer will be plausible and tell you he鈥檚 with your credit card company. He鈥檒l even give you its 800 number and address. He鈥檒l say there鈥檚 an unusual charge on your card and what it is. His fear tactics may now begin to work. You didn鈥檛 make the charge and you鈥檙e afraid someone else has access to your card but get suspicious when he demands personal information or the three digits on the back of your card. He鈥檒l escalate his scare strategy by saying that your card will immediately be cancelled. If you ask for his name and extension number to call back, he鈥檒l give you a fictitious number or hang up.
The consultant at my credit card company advised that anyone can easily get your name, address and phone number but not personal information such as your place of birth unless you give it to them. Do not ever give out personal information or the number on the back of your card unless you have initiated the call to your credit card company and gone through the procedures they have in place to legitimize your identity.
The scammers didn鈥檛 catch me. I hope they don鈥檛 get you.
Robert Frick
Comox
