Phone Scam Alert!

Pocomoke City Police would like to take a moment to warn all citizens of most recent telephone scams involving people identifying themselves as IRS, Delmarva Power and the Publishers Clearing House. To date the Pocomoke City Police Department has received seven (7) reports for this type of scam! Please read carefully the below information. 

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be the IRS, here’s what you should do: 

• If you know you owe taxes or you think you might owe taxes, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS employees at that line can help you with a payment issue, if there really is such an issue.

• If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to think that you owe any taxes (for example, you’ve never received a bill or the caller made some bogus threats as described above), then call and report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 1.800.366.4484.

• You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House, remember:

• If you’re required to wire or pay any amount of money in order to claim a prize, it’s a Publishers Clearing House Scam. PCH sweepstakes are ALWAYS FREE to enter, and there is never any fee associated with winning.

• If you’re asked to load up a Green Dot MoneyPak or other money transfer card, in exchange for claiming your prize, it’s a Publishers Clearing House Scam. Again, PCH will NEVER ask you to pay a cent to collect a prize.

• If someone tries to contact you in advance regarding a prize delivery, it’s a Publishers Clearing House Scam! After all, that would ruin the surprise! For decades, our Prize Patrol has captured the elated reactions of surprised winners and used them in our nationally-televised commercials. You’ll know you’re a big PCH winner if you see the Prize Patrol at your front door holding a “Big Check” with your name on it!

• If someone calls you on the telephone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House and says you have won, it’s a Publishers Clearing House Scam. Do NOT give them any personal information! As stated above, the Prize Patrol awards all our Big Prizes in person and would never call you to update any personal information in our files.

• If someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House tries to send you a friend request on Facebook, it’s a Publishers Clearing House Scam. Even if they are using the name and photo of a prominent PCH employee ―do NOT believe them. Our PCH employees and official PCH Prize Patrol Fan pages will never private message you on Facebook.

Finally, if you receive a call from Delmarva Power requiring you to make a payment on a Green Dot Money Pak Card, NEVER do so. Hang up immediately and contact Delmarva Power at 1-800-375-7117.

Please share this message with all of your friends and neighbors. Pocomoke City Police hopes to raise awareness of this ongoing trend to scam citizens out of their hard earned money. 

Chief Kelvin Sewell
March 10, 2015