Chief Column: Scam complaints are keeping Grafton Police busy

The Grafton Police Department has received several scam complaints over the past few weeks. We thought we would let you know the types of scams that are out there in the hope that you or someone you know won’t become a victim. Please be sure to let your elderly family members and friends know about these scams.

Jury Duty Scam

A resident stated she had been contacted by a person claiming to be from the “Worcester County Sheriff’s Office” saying she had two misdemeanor warrants for not appearing for jury duty. The resident was told she could pay off the “bail” for the warrants through Green Dot MoneyPak cards and Bitcoin. The resident was to transfer the Bit Coin and read off the MoneyPak cards activation codes to the “Sheriff” at a designated telephone number.

Craigslist Scam

A resident stated that he was selling items on Craigslist for $1000.00. A buyer using a false name stated that he was sending a check to the resident for the purchase of the items. The resident received a check for $2250 dollars a few days later. The resident, communicating with the buyer via text asked why the extra amount. The buyer stated that he must have made a mistake and to just send him back $1200 via money order by overnight US Mail and keep the extra $50 for his troubles. The check was fraudulent and the purchase never went through.

Computer Repair Scam

A resident received an unsolicited call from a computer repair service offering to repair and speed up his computer. The online repair service requested credit card information and access to the computer to affect the repairs.

There are many other scams out there but these are the most recent to affect Grafton area residents. We would like to provide you with the following tips to ensure you don’t forward money, or sensitive personal information to scammers.

• Never wire money to people that you don’t know or haven’t met.
• Never wire money to pay for taxes or fees on lottery or prize winnings.
• Never purchase a pre-paid card at a store and give the number to someone over the phone who has called you requesting you do this.
• Never provide your banking information to people or businesses you don’t know.
• Never wire money in advance to obtain a loan or credit card.
• Never wire money for an emergency situation without verifying that it’s a real emergency.
• Never send funds from a check you received in the mail and deposited in your account until it officially clears—which can take weeks.
• Never wire a money transfer for online purchases.

If you suspect you have been the victim of a scam, or if you become suspicious after receiving a call, email, etc. from someone trying to obtain money or personal information, call the police department at 508-839-5343 to report the incident.