HARRAH, OKLA. – You can imagine Martha Ross’ shock when her own number popped up on her caller id.
She said, “My son came out and said, ‘Mom, what are you calling yourself for?’ I said, ‘I’m not.’”
Martha was the target of a “spoofing” scam.
Attorney Richard Goralewicz and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma want you to know that anyone can camouflage their identity by downloading a “spoof app.”
“What you’re doing is making it appear that someone other than yourself is calling,” he said.
The scammer calls you out of the blue and often times poses as a bank, credit card company, law enforcement or government agency.
Seniors are easy targets.
“In some cases they either receive robocalls or a live person who asks them for personal information,” Goralewicz said.
Word is out at the Harrah Senior Center.
Scammers also spoofed Harold Sowle’s number.
“I thought there’s no way you can call yourself,” he said.
The In Your Corner bottom line:
- Don’t always trust your caller ID.
- If they ask you to click on something or punch in a series of numbers, don’t do it.
- Hang up and report ’em to police and the Federal Trade Commission.
