Police chief posts scams alert

Noting the department has received an increasing number of scam reports with the onset of tax season, Colfax Police Chief Rick McNannay March 16 issued a multi-scam alert. He noted the scams usually involve an unsolicited call in which immediate payment of money or confidential information is demanded.

The chief noted “red flags” should go up if the caller states one of the following claims:

—The IRS will arrest the person who receives the call if they don’t send money.

—A grandchild has been arrested and money needs to be sent to keep them from going to jail.

—The person receiving the call has won a big prize, but they need to send a fee, tax and shipping to collect it.

—A request for personal information because a bank account has been suspended or compromised.

—The person at the residence has been detected running a red light by photo radar and needs to pay a fine.

The chief noted none of these predicaments, if they were in fact real, would require immediate attention for payment or confidential information. He urges residents to call the police department if they suspect they are being scammed. He suggested more information about phone scams is available on the Federal Trade Commission website: https://www.ftc.gov/.