INDIANAPOLIS — State police are warning people of an ongoing scam offering a child safety kit on Facebook.
A link for a child safety kit asks people to submit personal information, like their name, address, and phone number, and is then followed up with a phone call to set up an in-home visit to finish the transaction, Indiana State Police Sgt. Brian Walker said in a press release.
The state police post in Fort Wayne recently received a complaint from a resident who said they got two phone calls "from two very persistent males" asking to come to their home to download their "child safety kit" app, Walker said. The men falsely claimed they worked with state police.
Similar scams have been reported in Greenfield, according to the police department.
Please read the information below. We have heard of the same scam here in Greenfield. FYI: Chief Rasche has purchased Child Safety Kits that are available FOR FREE in our lobby. Stop by and pick one (or however many you need) up anytime! Our lobby is open 24/7. https://t.co/yTwffi0Hwn
— Greenfield Police (@GreenfieldIN_PD) February 26, 2021
Walker provided the following tips in the press release for people to help protect themselves:
- ALWAYS consider any unsolicited internet/social media transaction with a “Buyer Beware”
- NEVER provided personal or financial information to an unknown source, whether it be on the internet, by email, or by phone.
- NEVER invite or allow a stranger into your home, especially an unsolicited sales person- thieves commonly use this as a way to case your home for future burglary.
- Don’t be INTIMIDATED by a scammer’s pervasiveness. Delete the internet conversation or just hang up the phone when something doesn’t feel right.
- If you feel you have been victimized by a scammer, suspicious or threatening activity should be reported to your local law enforcement immediately.
