Law enforcement agencies recommend common sense to thwart scammers: Sun Postings - cleveland.com
INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- In recent months, local law enforcement agencies have reported seeing an influx of fraud reports, mainly from phone and/or email scams.
To help protect residents, the Independence Police Department is developing an in-person class that will be scheduled at the Civic Center,
In the meantime, police are urging residents not to answer suspicious emails or phone calls. They recommend letting a call go to voicemail if you’re unsure who the caller is. Also, consider having a conversation with family members to help spread the word and to help avoid others from falling prey to scammers.
Some suggestions to remember when answering phone calls:
· Never share your credit card, banking, Social Security, Medicare or other personal information over the phone unless you initiated the call.
· If you do not recognize a phone number, do not feel guilty about letting it go to voicemail. If you do answer the call, be vigilant of how quickly the person on the other line answers you. Often with scam calls, there will be a delay after you answer the phone. Also, you might hear a clicking sound as if someone was added to the call after you answered. This is suspicious, so don’t feel bad about hanging up.
· Callers who claim you are going to be criminally prosecuted if you don’t give them money should not be trusted. Hang up and immediately call your local police department for any clarification, if needed.
· Never listen to anyone who tells you to go to a store, buy a gift card and then call them back with the gift card information. This should raise red flags. No government agency will ever ask someone to purchase a gift card and call back to share PIN information.
Things to remember when answering an email message:
• Always check the sender’s email address. This can be done by hovering over the address. If you weren’t expecting the message, check to see who it is from.
A company email address will be obvious, while a scam email will not have an email address that matches the company it is supposed to be coming from. For example, if you received an Apple receipt for a purchase, check the email address from the sender. If it’s from [email protected], that should be legitimate.
Conversely, if you receive a message saying your Amazon account is being shut down and you are instructed to click a link from an address like [email protected], stop and do not click on the link. Ignore and delete the message.
Never share bank or credit card information unless you are certain you are talking to a legitimate source. Call your bank or the fraud department of the credit card company if you have questions or concerns.
Sometimes scammers will email to say you will be locked out of your Google, Apple or Amazon account or, if you have an iPhone, the message may threaten that your phone will be locked. Another variation is telling someone they owe money.
Unless you can verify that the message or caller is legitimate, ignore it. Don’t click the link. Exit and delete the message.
Verify the company in question by locating a number -- do not ask the caller to provide the number -- and calling the company directly to discuss the situation.
The best advice is to trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to call police if you’ve been targeted by a scammer.
Rib ‘n Rock: Are you ready to Rib ‘n Rock at the 30th annual Parma Rib ‘n Rock rib cook-off and music festival? Mark your calendar for 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. June 9-12 in the Normandy High School parking lot.
Presented by the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce, this year’s event will be a drive-thru. Closer to the event, visitors can view the menu and pre-order online.
The event also will include a drive-in music festival at a cost of $15 per car -- no in-and-out privileges.
Attendees can enjoy music from the Normandy High School Jazz Band and Drum Line, The Brakes (blues/rock originals and covers), Gimme Sugar (Rolling Stones tribute band) and Those Men Inside my Brain (Cheap Trick tribute band).
Guests can park and enjoy the music all day. Runners will be available so concert-goers can order food from the festival.
As a bonus, get a free “Parma is Home” sign with concert admission, while supplies last.
The event is presented by the Parma City School District and the Parma Area Chamber of Commerce. Sponsors are Cuyahoga Community College, Erie Bank, Cox Business, Jerry Kuhn’s Kwik Car Wash, Dollar Bank, PPS and Let’s Entertain.
Proceeds will support the chamber’s educational and charitable trust.
Hometown Heroes: Independence’s Hometown Heroes banner program is entering its 2022 season. Each banner will be in honor of a specific serviceperson with Independence ties and will include their name, branch of service and photo.
Banners will be displayed on Brecksville and Pleasant Valley roads from approximately Memorial Day until Veterans Day.
Cost is $172, which must be included with the application. Each banner will be displayed for up to two consecutive seasons. There is an optional second season for a $40 fee.
Those who are interested in sponsoring a Hometown Hero Banner for the 2022-2023 season should call Gayle Rudary at City Hall, 216-524-4131, or email [email protected].
Banner space is limited and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tax Time: AARP will be at the Brooklyn Senior-Community Center from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays through April 12. Call 216-635-4222 to schedule a free appointment.
Tax help is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Residency and age restrictions do not apply.
Black History Month Challenge: Citizens Bankis partnering with EVERFI to raise awareness and provide educational opportunities focused on Black experiences. Eleven student scholarships also will be awarded during the Black History Month Challenge.
The event is taking place throughout February. It uses EVERFI’s African American History courses to help high school students better understand the Black experience through education that highlights Black perspectives, successes and struggles.
The monthlong challenge, created by EVERFI, a social impact education innovator, features four digital lessons and a capstone essay contest in which students will share a plan for maintaining a year-round conversation about Black history in their community.
There will be 11 winners across Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire and New York and one national winner. Each will receive a $2,500 scholarship and a new Apple MacBook Pro, courtesy of Citizens Pay.
The Black History Month Challenge is designed to inspire students by sharing stories about the Black experience in America; empower students by amplifying Black perspectives across generations; elevate history as a lens to understand current events; and transform students’ perception of the world around them.
Students will explore both historical and current events and learn about the many “firsts” that Black leaders have accomplished in the business and medical fields, while also showcasing Black professionals who have blazed trails and made significant contributions to their respective sectors.
In addition to supporting the Black History Month Challenge, Citizens works with EVERFI to support schools and teachers in providing students with knowledge around financial empowerment, financing higher education, digital banking safety and early literacy to help them succeed in and outside the classroom.
Visit citizensbank.com/EVERFI to learn more about the Black History Month Challenge.
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source: https://www.cleveland.com/community/2022/02/law-enforcement-agencies-recommend-common-sense-to-thwart-scammers-sun-postings.html
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