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Department of Consumer Affairs Warns Residents of Child Support Impostor Scams
Contacts:
Miranda Pomiecko, (216) 698-2546; mpomiecko@cuyahogacounty.us
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs and Office of Child Support Services are warning Cuyahoga County residents about a robocall scam that preys on noncustodial parents.
The robocalls tell noncustodial parents they are behind on child support payments and threaten to send police to their homes. The robocall tells people to call a 216 number. The Office of Child Support Services learned of the scam from clients who reported receiving the suspect calls.
Consumer Affairs warns that scammers often pretend to be from government agencies and use scare tactics – threats of police or court action because of alleged missed payments – to panic people into making payments they don’t owe.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has also received complaints about impostor scammers who have posed as sheriff’s deputies, process servers and court officials in an effort to scare someone into making an immediate payment.
“Scammers often ask victims to pay with retail or online gift cards because those are harder for law enforcement to trace,” said Sheryl Harris, Director of Consumer Affairs. “Government agencies do not accept these forms of payments.”
“If you’re worried you owe money, you should contact an agency directly using a number published on its website to verify before you send money to anyone,” Harris said.
Child Support Services can be reached at 216-443-5100.
Any threatening call requesting money should be reported to the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs at 216-443-7035.
Miranda Pomiecko, (216) 698-2546; mpomiecko@cuyahogacounty.us
CUYAHOGA COUNTY, OH – The Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs and Office of Child Support Services are warning Cuyahoga County residents about a robocall scam that preys on noncustodial parents.
The robocalls tell noncustodial parents they are behind on child support payments and threaten to send police to their homes. The robocall tells people to call a 216 number. The Office of Child Support Services learned of the scam from clients who reported receiving the suspect calls.
Consumer Affairs warns that scammers often pretend to be from government agencies and use scare tactics – threats of police or court action because of alleged missed payments – to panic people into making payments they don’t owe.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has also received complaints about impostor scammers who have posed as sheriff’s deputies, process servers and court officials in an effort to scare someone into making an immediate payment.
“Scammers often ask victims to pay with retail or online gift cards because those are harder for law enforcement to trace,” said Sheryl Harris, Director of Consumer Affairs. “Government agencies do not accept these forms of payments.”
“If you’re worried you owe money, you should contact an agency directly using a number published on its website to verify before you send money to anyone,” Harris said.
Child Support Services can be reached at 216-443-5100.
Any threatening call requesting money should be reported to the Cuyahoga County Department of Consumer Affairs at 216-443-7035.
