BBB Consumer Alert Roundup For June 30

Jamaican Phone Scams

The BBBs of Minnesota and North Dakota are warning area consumers to be suspicious of phone calls informing them they've won a prize package that includes a new car.

According to a consumer who contacted the BBB, when he expressed his doubts to the caller about the veracity of the prize, the scammer promised the prize was real and claimed an affiliation with the BBB.

But the consumer wasn't buying it and contacted the BBB, who assured him the caller was a fraudster. According to the consumer's caller ID, the scammer's number had an 876 prefix, the local area code from Jamaica -- a frequent source of phone scams targeting Americans.

Consumers are advised to be "extremely leery" of calls telling them they've won cash or prizes -- especially calls claiming an affiliation with the BBB or FTC. Neither of these agencies ever award prizes, and they never endorse contests or sweepstakes.

via www.walletpop.com

More at the link, with hat tip to Walletpop.