Who is the Scam Squad?

The purpose of the Scam Squad is to be proactive.  It is to fight crime by providing knowledge to the community of the current scams and frauds.   This is so residents will recognize the scams and frauds for what they are and not fall victim.  The fraudsters are clever: they will make a situation seem real and believable.   Their “job” is to hide their criminal intent.

The Scam Squad consists of SAV members who are constantly researching scams in various media.  Information on scams (the latest scams and those that are  resurfacing with a new twist) are shared with the community in the newspaper, weekly emails, and on this site – so people can learn as fast as the team.

This group of dedicated volunteers wants to help others learn and prevent scams from happening to them and their loved ones.  You can call the Scam Squad with any questions at any time.  If you call after hours, please just leave a message and you will be contacted when a member is back in the office.

The Scam Squad has been and still is effective in keeping the fraudsters from your savings.  However, victims may call or appear at the SAV office and present information regarding a scam that they recognized too late.  

It is usually after the request for a second or third payment that the victim realizes that something is wrong  something just does not make sense.  This is when the fraudster gets “sloppy.”  They are so anxious to obtain more of your money that they are not as careful in their presentation.   Please do not let this happen to you.

Let us help you!  We can start with the reminders to:  1) Do not answer the phone unless you know who is calling.  If the call is important, they will leave a message.  If you answer their call, your number is considered “good,” even if you don’t fall for the scam.  They will try again next time because they know there is someone on the other side who is a potential victim for a scam.  The less you answer, the fewer the calls!  2) If you do answer the phone, hang up immediately.  If the caller said they were from a business that you think might be legitimate, look up that business’s phone number and call the business back at their published number  and ask if they called you.  3) Delete junk emails before opening them.  And never click on a link in an email, if you are suspicious.  4) Shred all your personal information documents when finished with them.  Be savvy with these four tips, and keep yourself from being the next scam victim!