BBB Scam Tracker Tallies State’s Most Reported Scams

Anchorage, Alaska – December 30, 2015 – As the countdown begins toward 2016, Better Business Bureau has tallied the year’s top scams with the help of Scam Tracker. Investigators collected reports from more than 10,000 consumers nationwide and processed the data using a heat map so that users can see what scams are happening in their area.

“Scammers are elusive,” says Tyler Andrew, President and CEO of BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington. “With Scam Tracker, consumers and law enforcement can track fraud in real time and report it so that no one else falls victim.”

The top 5 scams hitting Alaska are as follows:

1. Sweepstakes. “You’ve won millions!” That’s the bait from lottery and sweepstakes scams. The caller tells the “winner” all they need to do is pay a few thousand dollars in taxes and fees, then the jackpot is theirs keep. Often the consumer never entered the contest to begin with. Genuine lotteries simply subtract any fees or taxes from the prize.
2. IRS Scam. Consumers receive threatening phone calls from someone claiming to be with the IRS. The caller tells the consumer he owes taxes to the government and will be thrown in jail unless he pays. The IRS says they never call people who owe money; instead, they notify debtors via mail.
3. Imposter Scam. Like the IRS scam, fraudsters pose as a federal agent or law enforcement and then contact unsuspecting consumers to try and obtain their personal information. If the scammers succeed, they’re able to steal identities and commit fraud.
4. Debt Collections. Fake collection agencies call and claim consumers owe credit card debt. They try to gather personal information such as Social Security and bank account numbers.
5. Credit Cards. Scammers tell consumers they are eligible for a lower interest rate.  The consumer provides the scammer their credit card number and security code to “verify” their identity.

Nationally, BBB Scam Tracker also reported the IRS scam at the top. Phony debt collectors, sweepstakes, tech support and the government grant scam rounded off the top five. For a complete list visit BBB’s Top Ten Scams of 2015.

Visit bbb.org for business information and visit Scam Tracker to learn about scams in your area or provide information about a scam.