MSP warns of money pack scam
The Gladstone Post of the Michigan State Police is offering helpful reminders to Upper Peninsula residents for avoiding scams.
The State Police say con artists are using new tricks to fool people into falling for scams. They remind people if an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Troopers say there is a new ‘money pack’ scam around the U.P. region. Individuals on the phone tell victims they are a federal agent, who will gladly accept a money pack card, and within ten working days they claim to send a $7,000 government check in the mail.
Most scams involve obtaining a victim’s personal information, such as bank account or Social Security numbers, under false pretenses. The scammer usually portrays a sense of urgency and pretends to be with an official organization to fool people into giving up personal information.
To avoid becoming a scam victim, the Michigan State Police offer these tips:
- Do NOT give personal information to unknown callers
- Do not respond to unsolicited emails from unknown senders
- Confirm the identity of a contact by independently speaking with the identified source (for example, your bank, credit card company, government agency, etc.)
- Use a reliable source, such as the phone book, to confirm the contact’s phone number or email.
- Report any suspicious contacts to the police