Police issue phone scam alert
Telephone scams targeting mostly Hispanic residents are on the rise in the Yuma area.
According to the Yuma Police Department, one such scam is by callers claiming to be related or acquainted with the potential victim. The caller pretends to be in trouble with police in a foreign country and in desperate need of money to secure their freedom.
The caller then asks the potential victim to electronically wire money via Western Union or a similar money transfer company so the foreign police can be paid off, causing any harassment to cease.
Due to a large number of reports about such scams in the Yuma area, YPD urges the public to be aware of and to educate themselves to prevent victimization.
To learn more about scams, call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-202-326-2222 or visit ftc.gov, www.usps.com/postalinspectors or www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/internet_fraud/internet_fraud.
