Ohioans alerted to business imposter scams

July 27, 2020

Scammers are at it again, this time posing as legitimate businesses such as Amazon.com. They are calling consumers out of the blue and stating that your credit card has been charged for a large purchase. It may be a live voice, a robocall or a message on your voicemail, but the aim is the same: getting you to disclose personal identifying information. The imposter will ask for details such as your credit card number and password, then aim to get ahold of your money. Here are some tips to deal with this business imposter scam:

• Hang up if you get a cold call claiming you have purchased an item from Amazon or another popular online retailer. Don’t call back the number on your caller ID or the phone number mentioned in the message. Instead, if you have a concern regarding the supposed purchase, contact the legitimate phone number or email for the retailer. You can often find customer service contact information on the company’s real website.
• Examine your credit card bills carefully for any unauthorized charges. If you see an unauthorized charge, report it immediately to your credit card company.
• Contact the legitimate retailer through the contact information on its real website and the Ohio Attorney General’s Help Center to report any potential scams.
• If you’ve fallen victim to the business imposter scam and disclosed personal identifying information, download the Ohio Attorney General’s ID Theft Basics publication and visit www.identitytheft.gov for tips and help.