Beware of con artist's phone calls

Lee County residents are receiving calls from a con-artist attempting to get their checking account numbers. The con-artist claims to be working with area banks to change all checking account numbers nationwide. When asked which banks, he names banks in our area. This is not true. There is not a nationwide account number change taking place.

When asked why the banks do not contact their own customers, the conartist claims he is doing this for the banks because the job is too much for the banks and all he is asking for is the customer's basic account information and account number. He then reminds the person on the phone that they give their checking account number out every time they write a check.

"The best way to avoid becoming a victim of a telemarketing fraud is to hangup; if you don't talk to them you can't give them too much information," said Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott. "And, when you try to reason with them or outsmart them you are simply inviting trouble."

Here are some tips to avoid becoming a victim of a telemarketing scam:

-Never talk to strangers on the phone.

-Never, under any circumstances give out all or a portion of your credit card, bank account or social security numbers to a caller.

-Use an answering machine or Caller ID. Remember a legitimate business will not block their number.

-Register with the National Do Not Call list by going to www.donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222.

-Register on Florida's Do Not Call list by calling 1-800-435-7352.

For assistance, call the Sheriff's Office fraud line at (239) 477-1242.

CASE, Communities Against Senior Exploitation, is a Partnership of the Lee County Sheriff's Office and the community to prevent elder financial exploitation.