As scam and fraud calls continue to victimize residents across the country, Hiya has decided to do our due diligence by providing a weekly update on the top area codes targeted by these unwanted callers.
We’ll be providing the area code, top cities affected, the growth in spam and fraud calls, and the top three scams hitting consumers during the spike in calls.
Check out this week’s victim:
Minnesota residents living in the 507 Area code.
Top 5 Cities include:
1) Austin
2) Faribault
3) Rochester
4) North Mankato
5) Owatonna
Growth since January 2018 to Present:
Fraud Calls – 607%
Spam Call – 716%
Top 3 Scams Hitting 507 Residents:
IRS Scam: Scammers will call and say they are from the IRS and will ask the victims yes/no questions such as: “Can you hear me?”, “Are you the person responsible for paying the telephone bill?”, “Are you the homeowner?” If the victim answer “yes,” it is recorded and may be used by the scammer to authorize bogus charges on a credit card.
Tech Support Scam: “Tech Support” scammers are fooling consumers into needing their assistance about a possible virus that they’ve been notified about on the victim’s computer. In reality, instead of actually helping with the “so-called” issues, the scammer’s main goal is to convince consumers into dishing out fast cash, along with gaining easy access to any and all personal and financial information.
Car Warranty Scam: During the call – which often begins automated or pre-recorded the victim may be instructed to press a certain number or stay on the line, then asked to provide personal information, which potentially can be used to defraud the victim. The scammer may have specific information about the victim’s car and warranty that they use to deceive them into thinking they are a legitimate caller.
