CANTON, Ohio — The Canton Police Department is warning residents of an ongoing scam in Stark County that is primarily affecting senior citizens.
Recently, the Canton Police Department has investigated a number of cases of theft by deception, where the suspect is claiming to be a law enforcement officer.
The suspect often tells the victim that they or a family member has warrants -- and they must pay a fine or send bail money to help.
Other fraudulent scams have included suspects posing as workers from Amazon and the Social Security Administration.
In the scams, authorities say the suspects have demanded that victims send cash or gift cards immediately.
According to the Canton Police Department, many of the victims of the scams have been senior citizens older than 65.
In order to protect residents in Stark County, the Canton Police Department provided the following tips...
How to protect yourself against fraud
- Never share personal information such as your social security number, date of birth or home address over the telephone or online to any source you do not know and trust
- Never provide financial information like bank account number, credit card numbers or computer login information to anyone who contacts you on the telephone or online
- Do not react out of fear! You have the right to verify the caller’s identity
- If you do not know the caller and are unsure of what to do, just hang up
- If you notice a missed call from an unknown number, do not call the number back
- Legitimate companies DO NOT request payment in gift cards
The Canton Police Department is urging residents to warn older family members and friends about the threat of fraud.
Anyone who believes they are being scammed should reach out to the Canton Police Department at 330-649-5800 before providing the scammer with any information or making a purchase.
EDITOR'S NOTE: The video above previously aired on 3News on May 31, 2022.
