Monder Law Group - News
Aftermath of December Fires: Telephone Scams On the Rise
After a series of wildfires has spread and been contained across Southern California earlier this December, a number of telephone scams have been reported in San Diego. Namely, telephone scammers are using the recent fires in order to extract money from unsuspecting citizens. They claim to be calling on behalf of the fire fighting service, asking for donations. San Diego city officials warn the general public not to fall prey to these scams.
Even though telephone scams are not a novelty, in times of crisis such as this, the general public is urged to help as much as possible, so they often pay little attention to where their money is directed. Luckily, the officials have detected the scams before they had the chance to escalate, and measures have been taken to inform the general public.
Additionally, the officials claim that this kind of soliciting is never done by phone, so if the caller is asking for donations, it’s likely that they are operating a telephone scam. The officials also suggest that the callers may be identity thieves trying to swipe personal information they could later employ to access bank accounts, misuse credit cards, etc.
Identity theft is a serious issue, since the scammer can misuse the victim’s personal information and commit a crime for which the victim would be charged. Vik Monder, a reputable criminal lawyer in San Diego, has extensive experience with defending the victims of identity theft who have been charged with crimes they did not commit. Monder strongly suggests caution when relieving personal information, especially if solicited via telephone or online.
All San Diegans who wish to make a donation are urged to read through the Donation Tips published on the California Attorney General’s official website. The takeaways are as follows:
- It’s important to check the registration status of the charity or telemarketers; as all charities and telemarketers soliciting donations in California must register with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, verifying their registration status should serve as assurance against a potential scam.
- Don’t make donations to unknown charities; it’s always best to give to charities that you are already familiar with or made donations to in the past. If you are not familiar with the charities operating in your city or county, consult the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts.
- Always ask questions when solicited by phone; the telemarketer soliciting a donation should be able to answer all your questions regarding the official name of their charity, its registration status with the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, etc. Don’t forget to ask exactly where the donation will be directed (local fire fighter agency, for example), so you can contact the agency and verify the information.
The Attorney General’s office also warns against scammers who devise a name for their charity that sounds similar to a well-established charity. The Donation Tips also contain a separate section dedicated to making donations after a natural disaster or other tragedy. Additionally, the general public is explicitly urged to protect their identity – never relieve your social security number or credit card number, among other personal information.
Consult the Best Criminal Lawyer in San Diego
If you fear you may have fallen prey to an identity theft scam or have other legal concerns, turn to a trustworthy expert. Vik Monder is a San Diego criminal attorney dedicated to the community. He endeavors to raise the awareness of the general public about current issues and how they can negatively affect them. Should you need aggressive and uncompromising legal representation, you will find a reliable partner in attorney Monder. Call 619-405-0063 for a FREE consultation.
