SPRUCE PINE — As the holiday shopping season heats up, scam calls are on the rise.
Reports of scammers impersonating retail representatives from companies such as Amazon are on the rise, a report from the USA Today earlier this month said.
The Spruce Pine Police Department said earlier this month that multiple locals have reported receiving calls from people claiming to be Amazon representatives, some even using the Spruce Pine Police Department phone number.
The Mitchell County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that their number has been used in scam calls, as well.
Many scammers ask for personal information such as Amazon login information or even personal identification or bank account information.
The fake representatives usually claim that there is a problem with the account or an unauthorized charge and claim they need additional information to fix the problem.
The Spruce Pine Police Department urges people not to give out personal information over the phone unless they are completely sure that they are dealing directly with a legitimate company.
When in doubt, locals are urged to call the police department at 765-2233 or Mitchell County Communications at 688-9479.
Several commenters on a recent Facebook post by the Spruce Pine Police Department about the ongoing Amazon scam confirmed that they had received scam calls this holiday season.
Judy Hall said in a comment that a scammer told her someone in Texas had spent $2,000 using her card but was tipped off that it wasn’t legitimate because the caller had a strange accent.
“I got the call the other day but I knew it was a scam,” Carolyn McKinney Burleson commented.
“I also got one,” Alice Buchanan wrote. “I just laughed and hung up.”
Buchanan’s response is exactly what the North Carolina Attorney General’s Office recommends doing when and if you receive a scam call this holiday season.
A press release from earlier this month from Attorney General Josh Stein and his office urges citizens to hang up on suspected scammers and call the company directly using a number listed on the company’s website.
A true company representative will be able to confirm if the original call was legitimate.
The releases also reminds people not to give our bank account, credit card information or personal information such as a social security number over the phone to someone you don’t know.
To be placed on the National Do Not Call Registry, visit donotcall.gov. Signing up for the registry will cut down on telemarketing sales calls.
If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, contact the North Carolina Consumer Protection Division by visiting ncdoj.gov/file-a-complaint or call 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.
Robocalls can also be reported by visiting ncdoj.gov/norobo.