3 On Your Side: BBB Announces Top Scams Of 2015
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Better Business Bureau is out with its list of top scams for 2015. The scams vary in name but they're similar in the way they work.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans have received calls from con artists posing as IRS agents. They demand immediate payment for back taxes, claiming that a lawsuit has been filed against you.
As a result of the large number of scams calls, the Better Business Bureau says that tax cons were by far the top scam of 2015.
In other popular scams the criminals pose as debt collectors or claim that you've won a sweepstakes or prize. Other imposters try to convince you that they're with tech support or claim you've been awarded a grant.
Mary Power is the President and CEO for the Council of Better Business Bureaus. She says, "The top scams all involve imposters, either someone you know or trust or someone that you're afraid of."
The scams have something else in common, the criminal wants money up front. Father Michael Ortiz received a phony sweepstakes letter claiming that he had to pay a tax to receive a million dollar prize. He says, "Hook line and sinker I fell."
The scam artists want an untraceable form of payment. According to Power, "One of the red flags of any scam is if someone is requesting that you pay by prepaid debit card, wire transfer or gift card you should be wary."
Experts say if someone is demanding money or if the offer sounds too good to be true its likely a scam.
