FTC: Scam - “I have an emergency and need money”

Federal Trade Commission:   “I have an emergency and need money”

April 13, 2017, by Jennifer Leach               

Assistant Director, Division of Consumer and Business Education

If you’ve ever gotten one of those calls, you know how alarming they can be. And that’s exactly what the scammers count on. They want you to act before you think – and acting always includes sending them money: by wiring it or by getting a prepaid card or gift card, and giving them the numbers on the card. Either way, your money’s gone.

Here’s the story of Pablo Colón from Bridgeport, Connecticut, and his family. When both his sister and his father got a call about a family “emergency,” Pablo spotted the scam. And, luckily for the good people of Bridgeport, Pablo’s family owns a radio station – so he put the story on the air and warned his community.

Talking about a scam is important – even if only one person is listening, instead of the thousands who heard Pablo’s story. So watch this video. And then pass it on. Today, tell someone about this scam, about Pablo’s story, about why we should all talk about the about the scams we see.

And, whenever you spot a scam, please tell the FTC.

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