Marysville requires all solicitors in the city to have and display a permit from the city. City officials said the permit can help residents know if someone going door to door is legitimate.
(Graphic submitted)
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Shortly after 12:20 p.m., Tuesday, a 61-year-old Marysville man received a phone call, which police hope will serve as a cautionary tale to other residents.
Police are withholding the man’s name because he is a victim, but want the contents of the call to serve as a warning to other residents.
The caller told the man that he was from a law enforcement agency working with the Union County Juvenile/Probate Court.
“It seemed believable because the caller had spoofed the number and it really looked like the call was coming from the actual phone number,” said Capt. Nathan Sachs, leader of Marysville Division of Police’s Special Services Unit. “It was convincing to them.”
At some point the local man hung up and the caller called again from the same spoofed number. Sachs said that if the man had reservations, the second call from the same number removed the doubts.
According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), spoofing is “when a caller deliberately falsifies the information transmitted to your caller ID display to disguise their identity.”
“Scammers often use neighbor spoofing so it appears that an incoming call is coming from a local number, or spoof a number from a company or a government agency that you may already know and trust,” according to the FCC. “If you answer, they use scam scripts to try to steal your money or valuable personal information, which can be used in fraudulent activity.”
Sachs explained that the caller told the local man he had not responded to a court summons for jury duty and was now facing criminal charges. The caller said the man was going to be arrested for failing to appear. He said the man could avoid the arrest by taking care of it by phone, including posting bond over the phone.
“It was a pressure, the threat of arrest,” said Sachs.
He explained scammers “use confusion and fear to pressure you.”
Sachs said it is difficult to know if a call is spoofed.
“Be extremely careful about responding to any request for personal identifying information,” he said.
The caller told the local man he needed to make a payment in Bitcoin to avoid arrest. At that point, the man knew it was a scam and hung up.
Sachs wants others to be aware of the scam and hang up long before it gets to the payment method.
“Take a moment to think,” Sachs said. “If you need to hang up, hang up and you can call back. Take the time to slow down. Don’t cave to the pressure. Ask questions and speak with someone you trust.”
He added, “take the extra step, take the initiative and call in and ask and verify.”
Sachs said there are other scams occurring locally as well. One of the suspicious incidents involves an individual going door to door asking if the resident is interested is in switching utility service providers.
Community members have also reported experiencing the utility service scam via phone calls and emails. Residents say the individuals seem to know a lot about the home’s utilities and can seem legitimate.
“A good way to identify if it is legitimate or not is to ask to see if they have a license,” said Sachs.
According to city code, anyone going door to door selling is required to have a solicitor’s permit, regardless of age, unless they are soliciting for a non-profit, charitable or recognized religious organization. The permits cost $75 for adults and are free for children under 18 years old, and are good for one year.
Solicitors must have the permit displayed “conspicuously.” They must also be able to present proof they purchased the license.
“If you don’t see a license, don’t be afraid to make them show it to you,” Sachs said.
Officials have said a license can be denied or revoked if the application includes false or misleading information or “if the applicant or enterprise constitutes a clear and present danger to the residents of the city.” Even so, Sachs said a license does not mean the city endorses the product or the solicitor.
Whether it is a spoofed call or a door-to-door salesman, Sachs said it is important to notify police if a resident thinks something is off.
“We can help. We can help residents know if something is legitimate or if it seems like it could be a scam. We can come out and talk with you and we can help,” Sachs said.
He added that by calling police, they are helping other people.
“If it is happening to you, odds are, it is happening to others and if we know about it, we can get the word out that it is happening and hopefully protect other people from falling for something,” Sachs said.