oddly enough

oddly enough

State police warning of central Pa. jury-duty scam

RIDGWAY, Pa.

What’s worse than jury duty? State police in one western Pennsylvania county say it might be a scam in which someone is trying to pry personal information out of people by telephoning to claim they’ve missed jury duty.

WJAC-TV reports troopers from the Ridgway barrack say several Elk County residents have received the bogus calls.

Residents are being warned that they face fines if they refuse to verify their names, Social Security numbers and even their credit-card numbers. Police believe the callers are hoping to use the information gathered in identity-theft schemes.

Police say residents should just hang up if they get such a call. But anyone who has provided information to such a caller should contact their local police and closely monitor their credit report and card statements.

Scammer persists even with Pa. cop on the phone

AMBRIDGE, Pa.

Police say a telephone caller running a Homeland Security-themed scam was so persistent he continued his shtick even after a western Pennsylvania police officer answered the elderly target’s phone.

Harmony Township police tell the Beaver County Times a caller told a 70-year-old woman she won $480,000 in a contest but could collect only $100,000 under the Patriot Act — and then only if she sent a $5,000 cash “bond.”

The woman sent the money by FedEx, but her family learned of it and contacted police before it could be delivered to an address in Brooklyn, N.Y.

While police were at the victim’s house Monday, an officer answered a call from a man claiming to be a “Homeland Security agent” demanding to know why the package was delayed.

Police haven’t identified or charged any suspects.

Associated Press