MARYLAND-Maryland officials are warning the public to be on the lookout for fraud calls and fake social media accounts as scammers are on the rise again, pretending to be state and local law enforcement agencies.
Scammers are targeting lotteries, banks, charities and now, those seeking COVID-19 vaccinations, according to Maryland State Police. MSP said the COVID pandemic, stimulus checks and unemployment benefits have contributed to the increase in fraud.
"Most recently, this included a scheme where random citizens, received multiple unemployment, debit cards they never even applied for," said MSP spokesperson Ron Snyder. "Again, this is a type of scheme that has become more prevalent as you know, more people have filed for employment."
Snyder said consumers are being told they need to purchase gift cards to use as payments for either a government agency bill, a ransom, a utility bill, tech support, or even to avoid an arrest--none of which are true.
"It's very easy for vulnerable populations to be taken advantage of, you know," Snyder explained. "We saw this even before the pandemic where people would be receiving calls being told that they owed money, or that they would be arrested, or they would receive fines, or they would be sued, and certain people took that seriously and went to try to take care of a debt that didn't exist."
Authorities urge residents to refrain from giving out any personal information such as your full name, social security number or bank account information. If in doubt, simply hang up or ignore the message, and call the agency directly to confirm. You can also call your local police department to have them verify.