Scam Calls Are on the Rise in Dubois County Area, Some Residents Are Talking About The Calls They Received

BY: DAVID SHEPHERD, NEWS DIRECTOR

JASPER -- Phone scams are on the rise in our area.

After airing a segment yesterday on a local Amazon scam, many of you reached out to us sharing similar experiences over the past few days.

The scammers pretend to be from Amazon and lie to get the victim to give them personal information.

A few listeners told us the number on their caller id made the call appear to be from a local number.  Others told us they received multiple calls a day from the would-be scammers.

Remember, never give personal information out over the phone.  If you get a call asking for this type of information, hang up immediately. 

The Indiana State Police and Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) are reminding Hoosiers to stay vigilant when it comes to protecting one’s identity from theft.

DWD has seen the number of fraudulent attempts to file unemployment insurance (UI) claims spike due to the coronavirus and the additional financial assistance available through federal programs such as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

With tax season here, Hoosiers who may have had their personal information compromised could encounter problems when filing their taxes. 

DWD works closely with the Indiana State Police, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, FBI, Secret Service and the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, as well as several banking partners, to ensure appropriate prosecution and recovery of funds where possible, once identity theft is discovered.

If you believe you are a victim of identity theft, please do the following:

  1. File a report with DWD via this page: https://www.in.gov/dwd/indiana-unemployment/fraud/. DWD will lock the account from further use. Should you need to file for benefits in the future, you will need to contact DWD to have your account unlocked.
  2. File an electronic report with the Indiana State Police by filling out the form available at https://www.in.gov/dwd/indiana-unemployment/fraud/ and emailing it to [email protected]. If you are currently employed, contact your employer’s human resources department so that they can protest your claim with DWD.
  3. Other resources:
    1. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.
    2. File an Identity Theft Affidavit (IRS form 14039) through https://www.irs.gov/.
    3. Notify the Credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).
  4. The FBI also encourages victims to report fraudulent or any suspicious activities to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at http://www.ic3.gov. You may consult http://identitytheft.gov for help in reporting and recovering from identity theft.
  5. File an identity theft complaint with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office at https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2895.htm or by calling (800) 382-5516.