Information from the County Attorney's Office
By Steven J. Franzen, Campbell County Attorney
Sadly, our office routinely gets calls from citizens about various types of online scams where their credit card information is stolen. I thought it may be helpful in this article to discuss some examples of various scams to assist you in avoiding such misfortune.
Although use of a lost or stolen credit card is very common, there are a variety of other scams involving credit cards that are commonly used as well. Below are several examples of how crooks commonly try to scam individuals credit card information
1. Sale of credit card loss protection by using scare tactics and false information.
2. Promises to “fix” your credit report.
3. Claims of Phantom debts owed by an individual and that serious consequences will occur if the debt is not paid.
4. Scams based on promises of receiving scholarships for education.
The scams previously mentioned are just a few of the many out there today. You can protect yourself by remembering the following:
1) Never give your credit card number or bank account number over the phone unless you have initiated the contact.
2) Beware of shipping fees. This is one of the most common scams. People may be paying huge amounts for shipping to receive what ultimately may be a $15.00 prize.
3) Hang up if you are asked to pay for a prize.
4) Ask the company to send you written material on the offer. If the company is unwilling to do this, chances are the offer is not legitimate.
5) Avoid high-pressure tactics.
6) Ask detailed questions. Find out about the company’s cancellation and refund policies. Ask if there are additional charges.
7) Research the company or charity through the local Better Business Bureau. The local Consumer Protection Agency and the Attorney General can provide even more information.
8) Report fraud promptly. Victims of credit card abuse avoid most or all financial liability if they report fraud immediately.
For more information about prevention and common scams, you can visit the National Consumers League website, www.Fraud.org. Also, the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office has a toll-free Consumer Protection Line, which can be reached at 888-432-9257. Lastly, you can register on the Telemarketing Do Not Call register (both federal and Kentucky) at: http://nocall.ky.gov/default.aspx or through the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office website, http://ag.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx.
If you have any topics you would like to have covered in this column, please contact my office by e-mail at countyattorney@campbellcountyky.org, by phone at 491-7700 or by regular mail addressed to 319 York Street, Newport, Kentucky 41071.