St. Clair County Sheriff Mat King is warning that scammers are hitting close to home this holiday season, with bad guys posing as representatives of the St. Clair County Health Department and the St. Clair County Intervention Academy. There are also scams going around involving jury duty and the IRS.
The criminals are sending emails asking for gift card activation codes. This is a common scam to which people continue to fall victim, even though gift cards are never a legal payment for a legitimate agency or charity.
Sheriff King said, “Unfortunately, there are always criminals looking to prey on good-hearted citizens. If you receive an email or phone call soliciting donations, it is always best to double check to make sure the request is legitimate.”
Tips for avoiding scams include not answering phone calls from unfamiliar numbers, or saying “Remove us from your calling list” and then hanging up. Being wary of emails from unrecognized sources is also advised. Misspelled words are a red flag that should raise suspicion. Do not click on links within suspicious emails.
Reporting for WGRT – Jennie McClelland
