NEW GLASGOW – When it comes to e-mail, mail and telephone scammers offers that are too good to be true, 'tis the season.
This was the case with Sherry Blinkhorn, who received a suspicious call on Dec. 28.
“It sounded legit,” she said. "(They were) trying to give me a reduced rate of interest on my credit card.”
Blinkhorn says she played along with the caller until she’d had enough.
“I ended the call by telling him I hope God gives him a conscience about what he is doing,” she said.
Const. Ken MacDonald says this type of call is common during the Holidays.
“This time of year we see an increase in fraud related crimes,” he said.
Macdonald says the increase is mainly due to the high number of purchases and transactions of credit cards. Many of the calls and letters promise to lower interest rates.
Blinkhorn knew early on into the phone call that it was not legitimate, saying the individual listed several banks and claimed to represent all of them.
“I knew right away when he couldn’t tell me which bank he was calling for,” she said.
“It’s important not to give out personal information,” says MacDonald. “Always verify to see if the person contacting you is legitimate.”
Blinkhorn tried to call back the numbers on her phone after the mysterious call, but both are disconnected numbers.
MacDonaldIf a contact name or number is given in an e-mail or phone call, always call to verify the legitimacy of the contact person and their offer.
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