MADERA COUNTY – Sheriff John Anderson is issuing an identity theft alert to citizens placing ads online.
If you get a call from someone claiming your credit card is no good, hang up, and call your credit card company directly.
The Sheriff’s Office received word this morning from an Eastern Madera County couple, who placed an ad online in the Fresno Bee.
A few days later after completing the transaction, they received a call from a man claiming to work for the Bee, who stated the paper was pulling their ad because the card didn’t go through.
Caught off guard, they almost read back the numbers on their credit card. Suddenly realizing this could be a scam, they hung up and called the Bee immediately. They made the right call.
If you receive such a call, Sheriff Anderson says hang up and call the Fresno Bee at 559-441-6111, and ask to speak with someone in Classifieds.
Another consumer safety tip – when making online transactions of any kind, always look for https:// at the beginning of the link, rather than http:// — the secret lies in that extra “s” which signifies “secure,” says the Sheriff.
