SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man said he received a call from a person claiming to work for Bexar County, telling him there was a complaint filed against him and that he needed to call back a number, which turned out to be a dead line.
The Federal Trade Commission says the following phrases can help you spot telemarketing scammers:
-
“You've been specially selected (for this offer).”
-
“You'll get a free bonus if you buy our product.”
-
“You've won one of five valuable prizes.”
-
“You've won big money in a foreign lottery.”
-
“This investment is low risk and provides a higher return than you can get anywhere else.”
-
“You have to make up your mind right away.”
-
“You trust me, right?”
-
“You don't need to check our company with anyone.”
-
“We'll just put the shipping and handling charges on your credit card.”
If you hear a line that sounds like this, you’re encouraged to hang up and file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
What Bexar County Clerk Gerard Rickhoff is saying:
“First of all, we never call anybody and ask for anything on the telephone. We send you a letterhead in proper mail, advising you what you need to do according to the statutes."
"Oftentimes, you can defeat them by just asking them to send you the print literature."
For more information on how to identify and report phone scams, click here.