Scam tells consumers they owe for short term loans

Short term lenders and consumers should beware. A new scam has emerged that is preying on the short term loan industry. According to KIRO-TV in Washington, a new telephone collection scam is causing problems for some members of the community. A Federal Way, Washington, woman recently reported receiving a call from someone claiming to represent the Criminal Investigation Bureau. The caller said the woman owed money for a short term loan and that if she didn't pay up, someone would arrest her. The caller had her bank account number and the last four digits of her social security number, and even contacted the victim's mother. Several other instances like this have been reported, according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. The callers purport to be from the FBI, various law firms or other legitimate-sounding agencies and claim to be collecting debts for short term loan companies. The ICCC adds that the fraudulent callers relentlessly hound victims, contacting them at home, on cell phones and even at work. A tell-tale sign of the scam is that the caller refuses to provide any details of the alleged short term loan and becomes abusive when questioned. The ICCC warns that consumers should not follow the instructions of the caller. After receiving calls like this, citizens should contact banking institutions and lenders they have worked with recently, contact the three major credit bureaus and request an alert be put on their file, contact local law enforcement and file a complaint with the ICCC.