Please pass this on to everyone in your address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call.
The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Florida, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, Oregon, California, Virginia, Oklahoma, Arizona, and New Hampshire.
Most of us take those summons for jury duty seriously. A new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced. The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your:
- Social Security number and
- Date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant
Give out any of this information and bingo, your identity was just stolen. With enough information, scammers can assume your identity and empty your bank accounts.
"They get you scared first," says a special agent in the Minneapolis field office who has heard the complaints. "They get people saying, 'Oh my gosh! I'm not a criminal. What's going on?'" That's when the scammer dangles a solution-a fine, payable by credit card, that will clear up the problem.
This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system.
The FBI and the Federal Court System have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Visit... http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm
Protecting yourself is the key: Never give out personal information when you receive an unsolicited phone call.
Stay safe, live well, and realize your American Dreams everyone!
Source: www.fbi.gov
Regards,
Sara McLlenan, Designated Broker/Owner
Bachelor of Science in Marketing
No Hard Sale Realty, LLC
Cell-217-7440
EM smbroker@realtor.com
http://www.nohardsalerealty.com/
