New report shows scam increase in the area

KINGWOOD — Preston Sheriff’s deputies say scam reports are on the increase and warn residents not to give out personal information or send money to strangers.
Here are a few of the scams reported in the area:
IRS scam — The caller, pretending to be from the IRS, tells the person they owe back taxes and to keep from getting arrested, he or she must go to a Walmart or similar store and get iTunes or gift cards to pay fees. The IRS would never contact you by phone, nor would they ask you to pay for back taxes this way.
Publishers Clearinghouse — The caller tells the victim he or she has won millions of dollars, along with items such as a house or new car. The caller tells the “winner” that in order to collect, he or she must send money to cover “fees and taxes.” They push the victim to make a quick decision by saying the news media and Publishers Clearinghouse cannot come to their home until the fees are paid.
Mega Millions — This scam involves a victim receiving a phone call saying they won the MegaMillions lottery. However, the only real way to win the lottery is to buy a ticket. Also, the scammer will ask the victim to help cover the cost of fees associated with the win by purchasing gift cards, which is not legitimate.
Grandparent scam — An elderly person will receive a call, and the person on the other line will say he or she is their grandson or granddaughter, to which the victim will say a grandchild’s name, and the scammer will say that is who they are. They tell the victim they are in jail and need money to be released. They pressure the victim to act quickly to keep them from notifying other members of the family.
The latest scam concerns Social Security. The victim receives a call from an individual claiming to be from Social Security, who says their number has been accessed.
They tell the victim their credit has been compromised and they need to verify personal information (including birth date, bank account numbers and Social Security number), so they can issue a “new” Social Security number.
As with the IRS, Social Security would never contact you by phone to notify you of any issues.
Never give out personal information, especially anything that a scammer can use to access your bank accounts and use your identity.
Report any suspicious or possible scams to the West Virginia Attorney General’s office at 800-368-8808. Also, keep in contact with credit monitoring agencies such as TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. If you feel your bank accounts have been illegally accessed, contact your bank.