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Live Discussion with County Executive Marc Elrich

NCPW - Scams from Friday, March 11, 2016


Eric S. Friedman Good afternoon, I am Eric Friedman, the director of the Office of Consumer Protection (OCP). OCP’s staff of 18 includes attorneys, a certified automotive technician, a patient advocate and various consumer experts with years of consumer protection experience. Our office is pleased to join federal, state and local agencies and consumer advocacy organizations to celebrate the 2016 National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). Today, to celebrate NCPW, we will discuss Identity Theft. It is our hope that through this discussion we can further educate our consumers on how to avoid being a victim of identity theft and how to recover from this damaging crime.

Sarah from Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Someone made charges to 3 of my credit cards. Should I just cancel all of my credit cards and assume that since the crooks have access to several all my credit cards they probably have access to all of my accounts.

Eric S. Friedman You should check with each credit card company individually to determine whether there have been fraudulent charges. The companies can then help you decide whether the cards need to be cancelled. We would recommend that you check your credit reports, as well, to determine if any other accounts that you do not know about have been opened in your name. Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Sarah.

Bernadette from Rockville
I have received numerous calls from a caller making threats for criminal offenses. One claimed to be from the IRS. I didn't return the calls but I wanted to know if you wanted the information.

Eric S. Friedman It is good that you did not return any of these calls. The IRS Imposter Scam has been blanketing our area for quite some time now. Due to the number of complaints on this scam, our investigators want consumers to know that any calls claiming to be from the IRS should be reported directly to the Treasury Inspector General at www.treasury.gov/tigta/contact_report_scam.shtml.

Janice from Up County
Some time ago I received a bill for a credit card with some small charges. I never applied for a charge card with the company. I thought it was a scam so I ignored the bill. Now the credit card is on my credit report as a bad account with late charges. How can I get this negative information removed from my credit and close this account?

Eric S. Friedman If you have not yet contacted the credit card company, you may want to start there. Credit card companies understand that fraud does occur, but you must let them know about it so it can be addressed. You can also contact the credit reporting agencies and dispute the information that is appearing on your report. A good source of information on disputing information on credit reports is the Federal Trade Commission, www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0151-disputing-erros-credit-reports. You should also make sure to check your credit report for any other potential concerns. Janice, you have a little more work to do but it will be well worth it.


Eric S. Friedman Caution! You do not need to lose your wallet for someone to take your identity. If you do not shred your confidential information, utility bills, credit card slips and other documents, it is easy to "dumpster dive" your garbage to steal your identity.

Blair from Up County
My identity was stolen, credit accounts were opened and transactions in access of $500 were charged to these accounts. I reported the crime to the police but they would not write a report. I want to send a copy of the police report to the credit bureaus to give my claim of fraud more creditability. How can I the police to take this seriously and write a report?

Eric S. Friedman We are sorry to hear about the trouble that you are having. The Federal Trade Commission has a very comprehensive website at www.identitytheft.gov that can help you with all of the steps for reporting and recovering from identity theft. It includes tips for filing a report with your local police department. I will also discuss this matter with our Montgomery County Police contacts. They try to be very proactive on this issue.


Eric S. Friedman Here are a few steps that you should take if you have been a victim of Identity Theft: - Place a fraud alert and get your credit report. - Call the companies where you know fraud occurred. - File a police report with your local police. - Contact credit companies to have bogus charges removed. - Close new accounts opened in your name. - Remove erroneous information from your credit report. Visit www.identitytheft.gov for additional information.

James from Rockville
My wife and I received a phone message from Washington state saying the IRS is filing a lawsuit. I called the IRS directly and they told me that they wouldn't call me. How did they get my information?

Eric S. Friedman Thank you for your participation. The phone message that you received was most likely a scam. If you receive any other calls like this, you should make sure to report them to the Treasury Inspector General at T: 800.366.4484. Scammers have limitless ways of getting our contact information. If only scammers would use their technology powers for good.

Cindy from Mid County
I am getting more and more robocalls at all hours of the day. I am on the do not call list so I don't understand why I keep getting calls. What else can I do?

Eric S. Friedman Unfortunately, this is a very common complaint these days. There is software available that may be able to limit some of these calls. For example, if you get your home phone service from an Internet provider, you may be able to sign up for the call-blocking service Nomorobo.com. For cell phones, there are also call blocking apps available. Let's not forget the National Do Not Call List (https://www.donotcall.gov). Unfortunately Cindy, at this time there is probably no way to completely avoid these calls altogether but you can take the actions I mentioned to reduce them.


Eric S. Friedman Take steps to PREVENT Identity Theft - These useful tips will help you avoid identity theft. - Keep your Social Security Number secure. Do not carry it in your wallet or write it on your checks. - Do not respond to unsolicited requests for personal information. This includes your name, birth date, and bank account information. - Collect mail promptly. Stop mail delivery if you are away from home. - Pay attention to your monthly bills. Be aware of when they should arrive and promptly review the statements. - Shred all papers containing financial and personal information. - Install firewalls and virus detection software on your computer. - Create complex passwords and periodically change them. Do not use one password for all of your accounts. - Review and order your credit report at least once per year.

Ann from Mid County
I received a call from a business line claiming to work with Pepco. They offered to do anenergy survey but the business name was unrelated to Pepco. I don't want strangers coming into my home because they may just be looking around and they do not sound legitimate. How can I get my number removed from them?

Eric S. Friedman It is very important for you to know that you do not have to agree to have anyone come into your home if it will make you feel uncomfortable. If you have the contact information from this company, and they will not agree to remove your information from their lists, do not hesitate to file a complaint with our office. Thank you for participating in our live discussion, Ann.


Eric S. Friedman I’m happy to see that we have participation. Our goal is to continue to educate our consumers. Let's take a few more questions.


Eric S. Friedman If you´re notified by a business that your personal information may have been fraudulently obtained by another party, contact one of the credit bureaus as soon as possible and ask that a fraud alert be placed on your account. Take advantage of the free monitoring service the business offers. This will help you monitor your credit history after a breach.

Sue from Not from Montgomery County
My friend received a check in the mail and the company wants her to send them some money. I have tried to tell her that it sounds fishy but she wants to deposit it. How can we check to see if it is real?

Eric S. Friedman It can be difficult to determine if a check is real until it is too late to do anything about it. This is what scammers try to capitalize on. If this was not a check that your friend was expecting, that should be considered a sign that there is something wrong with the situation. If the company is also asking for money to be sent back in return, this is an additional red flag. From the details that you have provided, it is a good bet that this check is not real, and should not be deposited.


Eric S. Friedman Be vigilant! Review your monthly bank and credit statements. Request a copy of your credit report periodically and review it for unauthorized account activity. The official website for the free yearly credit report is: www.annualcreditreport.com.

marian from Rockville
My parents are elderly and I have heard of stories about people going door to door scamming older people. Is it enough to have no soliciting signs in their yard? would that be enough to demand their money back if they agree to pay someone?

Eric S. Friedman Unfortunately, if someone is trying to perpetrate a scam, they are probably not going to pay attention to no soliciting signs. Scammers will also be very difficult to locate after the fact to try to attempt to get any money back. The best thing to do is to have a policy of never opening the door to anyone that you do not know. It sounds like you are also concerned about your parents' ability to manage. This is a difficult topic but it may be necessary to have a conversation with them about their finances. The website, www.stopfraud.gov, provides guidance on what you and your parents can do to prevent elder fraud and financial exploitation.


Eric S. Friedman Studies have found that the elderly are vulnerable to identity theft and are more likely to be targeted. If you are taking care of an elderly family member or friend, here are a few things that you can do help. - Stay in touch. Scammers are less likely to come around if they know a family member is close by and vigilant. - If you know and trust their neighbors, ask them to keep an eye open. - Offer to check their incoming mail and monthly statements. It will be helpful if these actions are discussed in advance before it is too late.

Joannie from Mid County
I received a notice from a collection agency that I had an outstanding debt for items shipped to my home. I called the agency and told them that I never ordered anything and that the shipping address was unknown to me. They said that I had to pay because my credit account was used or they would file a judgement against me. What can I do so that I don’t have to pay this debt?

Eric S. Friedman The first thing that you should do is send the collection agency a letter stating that you dispute the debt and asking them to verify the debt. The agency will need to provide you proof that you owe the money. If the debt collector cannot prove that it is your account, they may not continue collection activities. If you need help with this problem, Joannie, please contact our office by calling us at 240.777.3636.

Donna from Silver Spring
I recently moved to this area and had my car towed right away. I tried to stop the tow truck because I was coming out of my building when it happened but they refused to stop. Then they refused to accept a check when I got there I don't use credit cards and I didn't have it in cash. Is this legal?

Eric S. Friedman The County’s tow law was recently amended, so it is important that we know the exact date of your tow in order to give you the best answer. Please contact us at 240.777.3636 so that we can discuss this matter with you. Thank you for your question, Donna, and let me welcome you to our area!

Veronica from Up County
I have been reading the questions and am now wondering whether it is necessary to sign up for one of those credit monitoring services. It seems expensive to me but maybe I need it.

Eric S. Friedman Veronica, thank you for participating in our Live Discussion. We hope that the information is useful to you! Excellent question - the good news is that if you are vigilant and take a few selfhelp steps, you won't need the paid services that cost on average from $120 to $300 per year. We have been giving tips throughout the Live Discussion that should help you monitor your own credit profile. Tips such as reviewing your monthly statements in a timely manner, examining your credit report periodically, and protecting your information by securing it and disposing of it safely. Please call us at 240.777.3636 and we can review these tips with you.

Dave from Eastern Montgomery
Everywhere I go people ask me for my social security number and I always thought that we should not give it out. But if I don't, businesses don't want to serve me. What can I do to protect my personal information? Can they legally require my number?

Eric S. Friedman The law related to Social Security numbers is complicated, and the facts of each case are unique. Many businesses cannot legally require you to provide it, but they may be allowed to refuse to provide you services unless you do. To keep your SSN as confidential as possible, consider the risks before you give your number to anyone not legally entitled to ask for it. For more detailed, specific information, please contact our office at 240.777.3636, we will be glad to help you. Excellent question Dave!

Chris from Up County
I want to report a scam. I took camera equipment to a repair shop in Gaithersburg and I have not been able to get my items back. It looks like the office is closed but when I dropped it off the person sits in the back and doesn't answer the phone. Can you help?

Eric S. Friedman Chris, we can definitely try to help. You can contact us by calling 240.777.3636 if you would like to discuss the matter, or you can simply file a complaint with our office. Our complaint form is on our website at http://bit.ly/OCPcomplaint. We look forward to helping you.

Robert from Silver Spring
I have always wondered why I receive so many privacy notices. It's ridiculous that I get them so often. What are they for and why do they keep sending so many of them?

Eric S. Friedman Robert, thank you for your question. The good news is that these notices are sent so that you are aware of how your personal data is shared, what information is collected, how it is protected and what you can do to limit sharing. Companies that provide financial services to you such as banks, insurance companies, credit card retailers, mortgage brokers and other are required to send notices. You will usually receive an initial notice, an annual notice, and a notice of any changes to privacy policies from each business; these can all add up to a lot of notices!


Eric S. Friedman The best defense against fraud is protecting your personal information. Keep personal papers in a secure location. Do not give out your personal information unless you initiated contact and the disclosure is necessary to complete a transaction. A typical example is a loan application. Also, check the company's credentials BEFORE disclosing personal information. We are running out of time so let's take a couple of more questions.

Terrence from Silver Spring
A postcard came in the mail telling me that I won a large screen tv. All I had to do was send the tax for my area. I heard about people stealing your identity and credit information. I sent a money order so that the company would not have my checking account or credit card number. But I never received the TV. Can you help me get my money back?

Eric S. Friedman Terrence, it is good that you did not provide a check or credit card to these thieves. The bad news is that it is very difficult to locate the crooks. They will move around often and are very likely outside of our area. We can certainly try to help you. Please contact one of my experienced investigators and we can open a case on this. If you prefer, you can download our complaint form here: http://bit.ly/OCPcomplaint. Thank you for your question.

Melanie from Bethesda-Chevy Chase
Mr. Friedman, last year I was a victim of skimming. It took some time to correct the transactions. Is it true that you can purchase skimming devices online?

Eric S. Friedman Skimming is an electronic method of capturing a victim's personal information used by identity thieves. The skimmer is a small device that scans a credit card and stores the information. Skimming can take place during a legitimate transaction at a business. The electronically captured information is then used to by the thief or sold to other criminals. Even if it's not available for purchase easily, thieves will always find a way.


Eric S. Friedman Unfortunately, we are out of time. Thank you for joining us today. We received good questions and look forward to another Live Discussion soon. Until then, please visit our website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OCP to file a complaint or get additional information about our services. To speak to our Investigator-on-Duty please call 240.777.3636 or email us at [email protected]. To follow us on Facebook visit https://www.facebook.com/OCP.ConsumerWise or on Twitter @ConsumerWise. To subscribe to our electronic newsletters, please visit http://bit.ly/1MbKPcT and select Consumer Protection and Common Ownership Communities. Thank you all for your participation!