As the seasons change and the weather gets warmer, instances of these scams typically increase. Recently, we have seen this type of scam happening here in Winston Salem as well as in other parts of the state.

Sometimes these companies operate locally or even out of adjoining states. The "contractor" will approach the homeowner and say something to the effect of, "I've just completed a job down the street and I have extra asphalt/cement on the truck that I need to get rid of". He will then offer to "fix" your driveway at a discounted rate.

If agreed to, the scammer will either do shoddy work or will schedule a time to return later in the day but request money up front. Often times, people can be scammed for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

The North Carolina Department of Justice* website has issued an Alert detailing this and other types of scams that citizens need to be aware of. 

This type of Internet/E-mail scam has become more popular in recent years. Typically, you as the account holder with receive an email supposedly from you bank or credit card institution. It will usually say that there has been an attempted unauthorized access to your account or it will request you to update this information.  

The email asks the user to click on the inserted hyperlink on the page that will take you to a page that also looks “official” and will usually ask you for your full account number along with other information like passwords/social security number.  

In addition to the information that the victim sometimes will input, the scammer can also upload “spyware” to the victim’s computer which can then track everything from keystrokes to web history.

The recent increase in both of these crimes has been dramatic, especially with the computer age.  Almost everyone has been affected or knows someone who has been a victim of Identity Theft. Thieves can access the personal information of victims in a variety of ways:

• Pilfering through your garbage or mailbox for statements with account information.
• Stealing your purse/wallet with identification and credit cards to access your accounts.
• Telephone marketing scams.
• Skimming credit cards at retail locations is done by using a special “storage” device when your card is processed.
• They will also divert your account statements by completing a “change of address” form.

There are a variety of preventative steps that you can take to keep yourself from becoming a victim of Identity Theft:

• Shred financial documents prior to discarding in the trash.
• Protect your social security number. Do not carry your social security card with you when out in public.
• Don’t give out personal information on the telephone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.
• Don’t use obvious passwords to your on-line accounts like birthdays, mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of you social security number.
• Keep your personal information in a secure location inside your home.

New Scam Targeting Seniors

The Winston-Salem Police Department wants the public to be aware of a scam that is currently targeting elderly residents and those in retirement communities. Though this scam is a nationwide problem, recent activity has occurred in Winston-Salem in what is described as a "Grandparent Scam."

Potential victims are contacted from an individual describing themselves as a grandchild or family member in need of immediate financial assistance. The caller attempts to convince the victim they are in need of money immediately and request the victim to wire money to the caller to address the emergency need. Victims who succumb to this scam falsely believe the caller to be a family member and utilize wire transfer companies to complete this fraudulent transaction.

Contact with true family members often reveals the scam to be a fraudulent act. We are requesting the community be aware of these incidents and share this information with their friends, family members and community to keep this fraudulent activity from repeating itself.

If you have become the victim of this type of scam contact the Winston-Salem Police Department non-emergency number at (336)773-7700.

Telephone Bank Account Scam

As a public service announcement, the Winston-Salem Police Department wants to make the public aware of a telephone based fraud that has occurred in other jurisdictions.  Individuals have received messages stating their credit and/or debit card has been suspended because it has been accessed by a third party.  The person is told to press 1 to access the bank’s security department.  If the initial instruction is followed, the callers are asked to provide their card and PIN number as well as other personal information.  As a result, the recipients of the calls have discovered unauthorized withdrawals from their accounts.  

Incidents such as this have been investigated by other jurisdictions and it has been discovered the calls are originating from Washington State and overseas.  

The Winston-Salem Police Department recommends that no personal information be given out to anyone unless you are certain of the legitimacy of the individual to whom it is being given, particularly to those whom solicit your information.