Phone scams are commonplace these days. Folks waste a lot of time and often lose a lot of money believing what scammers tell them over the phone. Be on guard anytime you receive a cold call from someone you do not know.
Phone scammers have many ways of trying to reach deep into your pockets. Sometimes they act friendly. Sometimes they act helpful. Sometimes they act intimidating, hoping to scare you into providing the information they desire.
Scaring Lea County folks into providing the information they desire is exactly what the phone scammers who are calling people in our area are doing right now. These scammers are not who they say they are. The City of Hobbs wants you to know this and is extending a warning to everyone to be careful.
In a November 30 press release (PDF), Meghan Mooney, Director of Communications for the City of Hobbs, warns the public about a phone call scam that involves impersonators of the Hobbs Municipal Court “requesting payment of fines to be made over the phone.”
According to the press release, “the perpetrator(s) is/are cold-calling individuals requesting payment of their fines, stating the request is on behalf of the Hobbs Municipal Court.” Of course, the pleas of these individuals, who are imposters of real representatives of the Hobbs Municipal Court, are completely bogus.
If you receive a call from one of these scammers, the number (575) 397-9274 will appear on your caller ID, states the press release. Of course, scams are not limited to this number, but it is one known scammer as reported by the City of Hobbs. Keep in mind other scammers could reach out as well, and these scammers could also try using a different number, particularly if they realize this one has been found out and publicized as a scam.
In trying to trick you into paying over the phone, the scammer will say something like, “Hello, my name is John Smith. I am calling to inform you of the fines that are overdue on your behalf, however you can provide payment in full over the phone at your convenience.”
Should you receive such a phone call with such a request, hang up. Provide no information. Rest assured that the call is not from the Municipal Court of the City of Hobbs, nor is it in any way sanctioned or approved by the Municipal Court of the City of Hobbs.
The request is completely dishonest and is like all phone scams – an attempt to get “your money or your personal information to commit identity theft,” states the Federal Trade Commission at its website.
Always remember that neither the Hobbs Municipal Court nor the City of Hobbs will ever “call a resident or business to request money or payment of fines in any way,” states the City of Hobbs press release.
If you receive such a phone call, hang up immediately. Provide NO information whatsoever to the scammer. Report the incident as soon as possible to the Hobbs Police Department by calling 575-397-9265.
“It’s always good to verify the information,” says local cybersecurity expert, Clayburn Griffin. “If you get an email or phone call from someone saying you owe money or need to provide some information, just tell them you’ll follow up later. Reach out directly to the company or check your account online. Most of the time, though, these callers are lying and impersonating someone.”
Everyone – the city, the county, law enforcement, residents, businesses, all stakeholders – need to work together diligently to stop phone scamming in all of its forms. The responsibility is with each one of us to do our part in wiping out this crime that can prove devastating to the victim who falls for the invalid requests of these scammers.
