Consumers are reminded to continue to be on the alert for scams circulating throughout the territory, according to a press release issued on Friday by the V.I. Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs (DLCA). “More than ever during these hard economic times scam artists and ‘opportunistic fraudsters’ are targeting and manipulating cash-stricken consumers with sales pitches and other schemes,” said DLCA Commissioner Devin Carrington.
Currently, there have been reports of customers receiving fraudulent phone calls from individuals claiming to represent local communications companies. The caller falsely states that there is a security breach that they need to address and requests information to be able to access the customer’s computers remotely. Once the customer provides the necessary information, the customer is no longer able to access their own computer. DLCA is certain that these calls are part of a scheme to hack into individual’s personal computers for illegal and nefarious purposes.
Although the department has issued scam warnings before, a number of new, less obvious types of scams have presented themselves in the Virgin Islands, resulting in a flow of new consumer complaints. The old procedures of sending e-mails, telephone calls, invoices, bank checks or letters have been enhanced or even replaced by newer and more sophisticated formats such as enticements and requests for information from businesses that publicly advertise both locally and nationally.
“Consumers must ask questions or end the phone call completely if you do not feel comfortable disclosing the information,” said Carrington. The commissioner stressed that sensitive and private information should never be disclosed over the phone, by computer or other communications-capable device unless the consumer is completely certain that they are dealing with reputable individuals or businesses.
Anyone who has received such phone calls or solicitations of any kind and may have questions about its legitimacy or would like to file a complaint, should contact the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs, Division of Consumer Services at 714-3522 on St. Thomas-St. John or 713-3522 on St. Croix.