CSLS: When trouble knocks
Like the changing seasons, Athens is often one of the first Ohio cities to enjoy the colorful scams of autumn. While many assume that the elderly are the primary targets of fraud, 18-29 year-olds are the age group most at risk for identity theft, and college students often serve as easy targets for smooth criminals. Our most recent portrait of deception involves scammers in Athens impersonating energy company employees, going door to door to sign up consumers for “electricity savings.” This scam has been reported in Franklin, Fairfield and Hocking Counties, and the perpetrators are well-organized and persistent. Perhaps they are merely fishing for personal information since they are asking to see current utility bills. Or perhaps they are casing the property to determine whether the residents may be gone over the break, or have items of value in their home. Whatever the case, these impostors pose a danger to OU students and, should they visit you, their presence should be reported to the police immediately.
That being said, this utilities scam will no doubt be joined by flurries of winter semester frauds, such as jobs requesting up-front cash or credit card numbers, or online identity thieves requesting payment to “unlock” your computer.
While we all know that email appeals offering a Nigerian bank fortune are a hoax, most scams are similar in nature and can be identified by asking the right questions.
Most con-artists or identity thieves will focus on the victim’s carelessness or their desire for easy cash. If someone you do not know wants personal information from you, ask yourself why they would need your information, and whether you have any way to verify the identity of the person. Furthermore, do not grant access to credit or billing information to anyone over the phone with whom you have not initiated contact or whose identity has not been verified.
If the solicitor wants money, ask yourself if the deal is too good to be true or if you can verify the authenticity of the offer through the Better Business Bureau. A sure sign of a scam is an assertion that you have to act now to reap benefits or a refusal to take “no” for an answer. Don’t be afraid to walk away from “the deal” and close the door when trouble knocks.
This column was brought to you by Managing Attorney, Patrick McGee, Staff Attorney, Melissa Greenlee, and Program Coordinator, Tracy Kelly, at The Center for Student Legal Services.
The Center for Student Legal Services (CSLS) is a non-profit law office created to educate, represent and protect Ohio University students in matters related to identity theft, landlord / tenant issues, alcohol consumption, contract reviews, traffic violations, misdemeanors, credit law and more. For more information, call us at 740-594-8093 or visit our office at 50 S. Court St., Suite D (above College Bookstore).