Naugatuck Sees Increase In Scam Calls, Texts, Emails: Police

NAUGATUCK, CT — Police have provided a list of tips for residents in light of a recent increase in scam calls, texts, emails and computer pop-ups in Naugatuck.

In a Facebook post, police said they would like the community to be aware that any unsolicited communications attempting to get them to pay for something in gift cards, cryptocurrency like bitcoin or other uncommon forms of payment are likely scams and should not be clicked on or acknowledged.

Police also provided the following list of tips to help residents keep their money, and themselves, safe from scammers:

• Do not click on sent links, pop-ups, QR codes, or any other suspicious links. Do not answer calls from unknown numbers.
• If a utility company or government agency calls you, hang up and call the company or agency back from a number you located by looking them up. Calls demanding payments or threatening arrest are likely scams.
• Never give any unknown persons cash after being requested to do so by people unknown to you or you only spoke with over the phone or by email.
• Any request for payment requiring you to go to a store and purchase gift cards of any kind and giving the scammer a code on the back of the card is likely a scam.
• Any request to go to a cryptocurrency ATM such as Bitcoin ATMs and submit payment through it is likely a scam. Many of these deposits or payments are moved through multiple cryptocurrency exchanges that ultimately end up in countries that are not compliant with US law enforcement demands and thus make legal process next to impossible.

"More often than not, it is extremely difficult to recover the funds and seek restitution for victims of scammers," police said on Facebook. "The best defense is to recognize the signs and avoid engaging with the scammers."

More information is available here.