Local police warn: Watch out for cyber theft

♦ Calhoun police have received numerous complaints of fraud in recent weeks.

The Calhoun Police Department recently warned the community to keep an eye out for cyber theft after receiving numerous complaints of fraud in recent weeks.

According to the a post shared to the department’s Facebook page, locals have been receiving phone calls from individuals claiming to work for a bank or another financial institution in an attempt to steal personal identifying information, as well as banking and other financial information.

“The caller convinces the victim to give them access to their computer, and instructs the victim on which keys to strike, that will give them total control of their computer or cell phone,” the post said. “Another less technical scam is when the victim is called and asked to confirm or verify certain details of their account. The victim is convinced that they are talking to a legitimate representative of that company and will often let their guard down.”

By the end of these calls, the scammer has obtained account numbers, birthdates and social security numbers. Police warned that in some incidents just answering with a simple yes or no might be enough to give criminals access to financial information.

“Don’t be fooled if the telephone number that shows up on your caller I.D. is actually your bank’s telephone number,” Calhoun police warned. “Criminals can ‘spoof’ numbers to convince victims into thinking they are legitimate when in fact the caller could be anywhere in the world.”

Anyone who believes they have been the victim of cyber theft should contact their financial institution immediately to report the fraud, close accounts and cancel credit cards. Request credit histories from the three major credit bureaus to determine if any unknown accounts have been added.

A fraud alert can also be placed on existing accounts. After contacting both the bank and any necessary credit card companies, the department recommends filing a police report for further investigation.

Contact the Calhoun Police Department at 706-629-1234 to report suspicious calls or activity.