Identity theft and scams seem to be a trend coming back around to local communities and local authorities have some tips to help yourself be aware of fraud before you become a victim. 

Scam artists can come at a person from a variety of directions, including e-mail, phone calls and even door-to-door encounters. Clinton Police Chief Mike Reidy says many times, these people target the elderly. Chief Reidy says it is not because the elderly are naive, but rather they are very trusting.

[audio:scams1.mp3]A Word From The Chief[/audio]

Scam artists will use any means necessary to get information or money out of a person. Chief Reidy stresses those people are very good and will use an individuals emotions to get information or money they want. He also says you may be giving these people information about yourself without even knowing it.

[audio:scams2.mp3]A Word From The Chief[/audio]

Chief Reidy recommends to anyone who gets a soliciting phone call or email to verify the information. He says any legitimate organization will mail the information they have to you to look over. He says taking the time to verify information is a good tool to verify whether an individual may be getting involved in a scam and protecting themselves from major trouble down the road.

[audio:scams3.mp3]A Word From The Chief[/audio]

Chief Reidy encourages anyone who thinks they may be getting involved in a scam to also contact authorities. He says it is better to be safe and cover your bases than get involved in something that will end up hurting you. He says while banks and others may keep an eye out for those folks that are making unusual activity, there will not always be someone watching to make sure everything is legitimate.