Credit card scammers are targeting the Sacramento, California area in a unique way this holiday season. Disguised as delivery personnel, these fraudsters are stealing thousands of dollars from unsuspecting Sacramento residents. So, all California consumers should guard themselves against falling victim to this particular scam, as well as other types of credit card fraud and identity theft. However, when thieves do strike, consumers should know how to minimize damage to their finances and credit scores.
Recently, a California resident living in a senior community located in the Sacramento area received a call. Presumably, the call was from a delivery company announcing the arrival of a gift, which didn’t seem odd. People often send gifts during the holiday season.
After verifying that the recipient was home, the caller explained that the gift would arrive within the hour. Soon, a delivery person showed up at this California resident’s home, bearing a basket of flowers and a bottle of wine. It was explained to the resident that a $3.50 delivery/verification charge was expected. This was because the gift contained an alcoholic beverage. Proof was required that the gift was delivered to an adult of legal drinking age.
The Sacramento senior offered to pay the charge in cash, but the delivery person claimed that his company required a credit card for “verification purposes.” So, the California man provided his credit card, which was swiped with a mobile card reader. Later, the man discovered a $4,000 charge on that credit card. Clearly, he was the victim of some very creative and ambitious credit card scammers.
As a word of caution to all California residents, some types of gift deliveries require signatures. Yet, very few come with delivery/verification fees. If, however, a delivery person asks for a small fee, pay them cash. If they claim that they can’t accept cash, refuse the delivery. It is always better to err on the side of caution and skip the hassle of recovering from credit card fraud.
Many California consumers have a lot going on during this busy time of the year. Yet, it pays to slow down and pay attention to things involving your finances and credit cards. Sadly, credit card scammers and identity thieves take advantage of consumer distraction. They want to catch you unaware, so fight back with constant vigilance.
First and foremost, never give out your payment information or personal data unless you are 100% sure about the recipient. Unfortunately, not everyone who calls or visits your home is trustworthy. Always verify the identity and intentions of anyone who asks for your credit card number, Social Security number, or bank account information.
Next, exercise caution with your charitable giving. Even if it sounds like someone represents a worthy cause, it’s hard to tell who’s really on the other side of a phone call. Therefore, California residents solicited by telephone should politely tell callers to leave their contact information. Then, consumers can research charitable causes and possibly opt to give – safely and at their discretion. For door-to-door solicitors, either give a small cash donation, or ask visitors to leave literature to review.
Sometimes, even when California consumers are cautious, credit card scammers and identity thieves steal their payment information and personal data. This is while all consumers should check their financial statements and credit reports regularly.
Taking a daily glance at online bank and credit card statements allows you to catch suspicious activity in time to do something about it. As for credit reports, California residents should review them at least once every 12 months. This is how frequently you can visit www.annualcreditreport.com, and request free copies of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus.
If, while going over your credit reports, you spot signs of identity theft, file a police report immediately. You will need a copy of this police report in order to fully recover your credit reports. Next, contact Credit Repair Lawyers of America in California. When California identity theft victims contact our firm, they get access to an experienced credit attorney who will fix their credit reports for free. In fact, no matter what we need to do to get you clean credit reports, you never pay anything out of pocket for services.
Don’t let fraudulent items on your credit reports bring your credit score down. At Credit Repair Lawyers of America, we’ve been cleaning up credit reports for consumers since 2008 for free. How do we do it? All of our fees come from the defendants in settled cases. This is why our clients pay nothing for the work we do.
Let’s start the conversation about what we can do for your credit. Set up your free consultation today by calling Attorney Gary Nitzkin at (855) 956-2089 or sending him a message through our contact page.
For more information about Free Credit Repair After Identity Theft, please visit https://creditrepairlawyersam.com/california/fix-identity-theft-ca/.
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