HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Guam Homeland Security/Office of Civil Defense is advising the community to be careful when answering phone calls or text messages from unusual numbers.
GHS/OCD and the Mariana Regional Fusion Center continue to receive reports of local phone numbers “receiving suspicious” messages from local, domestic and unusual or unexpected international area codes, GHS/OCD stated in a press release.
“Most recently, reports identified suspicious calls related to nonexistent Amazon orders for electronics,” GHS/OCD said in the release.
According to GHS/OCD, some of the scams may include the following:
- Callers claiming you have placed an order that you have not.
- Callers claiming you have won money from a publisher.
- Clicking a link to receive money for answering a questionnaire.
- Program assistance for paying for medical bills.
- Claims you have won the lottery or sweepstakes.
- Claims your social security number has been “flagged.”
- Claims offering to lower credit card interest rates, debt relief and credit repair.
- Claims offering to help start a business by offering business investments.
- Claims requesting donations for charity.
Although the community is advised to remain vigilant, GHS/OCD said not all calls from unusual numbers should be considered suspicious. GHS/OCD suggests familiarizing yourself with numbers important to you and your household to avoid missing important calls.
“If you receive calls or strange messages from an international or unusual number, do not be tempted to call back or return the message and block the number if possible,” GHS/OCD added.
Additional tips provided by the Federal Trade Commission can assist in recognizing and avoiding scams.
Some tips include not sending money or personal information when unexpectedly requested, searching the company or product name with words like “review” or “scam,” and also to call someone if you think about sending money.
The community is advised to report suspicious activity to the MRFC by calling 671-475-0400 or via email at mrfc@ghs.guam.gov. Any reports may help law enforcement officers identify people behind illegal calls, GHS/OCD said in the release.
