Beware scams
by Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office
October 10, 2015
ROCK SPRINGS - The Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office issued a consumer alert on Thursday (Oct. 8, 2015) warning residents of two scams currently making the rounds.
The first involves telephone calls from people claiming to represent an organization called "NRA," who says their company represents another organization called "WTJ Capital." The caller goes on to say that the person owes money on a delinquent payday loan and must pay it off at once - the figure is usually around $775.
"In the instances we’ve had reported to us," said Detective Dick Blust, "there were no payday loans and the entire contact is a fraud. Like the somewhat similar IRS / delinquent back taxes scam, the callers are aggressive and hope to intimidate their victims into paying quickly. If you receive a call like this and have no outstanding payday loan, just hang up."
Blust said the Publisher’s Clearing House / Sweepstakes Winner swindle is also making the rounds. Prospective victims are contacted and told they have won a large amount of money, sometimes in the millions. They are informed by the caller that they must send a thousand dollars or so to cover "taxes" or "processing fees," at which time they will receive their winnings. In another variation, the victim receives a very official-looking check made out to them, which they are instructed to deposit. They are also instructed to mail or wire a considerable sum to cover the bogus "taxes" or "processing fees."
"The whole thing is a scam; there are no winnings, and the victim is out the funds sent," Blust said.
Authorities recommend the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s website at www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud as an excellent source of information to help people protect themselves against fraud and scams of all kinds.
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