If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
It’s a phrase commonly used to describe scams that offer millions of dollars, free cars, cash cards and more. The scams often involve asking people to send money to someone in order to receive their winnings.
But people suffering from desperate financial situations often don’t think clearly when someone calls with a scam that, if true, would seemingly alleviate all their money troubles. Instead of thinking about the offer being too good to be true, they imagine how much better their lives could be if they received the money, cars, cash cards, etc.
Scammers, like the one that recently contacted Mary Thydean, don’t care who they get their money from. All they care about is the money.
So it makes good sense for people who receive such calls to check with local law enforcement to find out if the deal is credible.
Sheriff Brian Jespersen urged people not to send money to people calling them about winning money or other expensive items.
And, he urged people not to provide personal information like Social Security numbers or bank numbers.
While Thydean said it often appears that scammers target the elderly, Jespersen said anyone can fall victim to the clever, smooth-talking, well-rehearsed scam if they don’t think clearly. He said local law enforcement receive calls about suspected scams nearly every week.
Thydean said she “was bit” before by a scammer and lost $300 and shared her story to help others avoid being bitten, too. She deserves credit for having the courage to come forward with her story.
If you have not entered a sweepstakes or contest that offers big prizes, you shouldn’t expect a call from someone saying you have won, noted Jespersen. And most credible contests do not ask people to send money before they can collect their prizes.
In an ideal world, people would not lie or cheat others to get financially ahead. Sadly, it is not an ideal world and we must all protect ourselves from scams.
