The Sheriff’s Office would like to alert the citizens of Rice County to recent fraudulent activity.
Some citizens have received letters in the U.S. Mail. The letter headline says “ATTENTION – RICE COUNTY – SOCIAL SECURITY POLL”. It then goes on to explain that you have been selected for a nationwide poll and asks you to complete the poll and then donate money as well. This is a scam and the information should be discarded and destroyed. Do not send money or give personal financial information over the phone. If you believe a telemarketer or someone else is trying to scam you, ask them for their supervisor’s
phone number. Many times, they will not provide you with it. The best way to avoid being a victim of a scam such as this is to contact them directly via their business phone or customer service number. If possible, deal with them face to face at the place of business.
We have also experienced fraud where a person misrepresents themselves as someone else using the internet. In the email they ask you to “forward or make a payment right away”. As with the fraud mentioned before, ask if you can call back and talk to their supervisor or customer service. Do not make a payment or donation that seems suspicious in nature.
These criminals are difficult to track down as many times they are calling from other states or even different countries. If it feels wrong or unsafe, it most likely is. Do everything you can to prevent yourselves as well as your friends and family from becoming a victim.
