The Newton Police Department is advising residents to be aware of different scams, as reports of these incidents have significantly increased in recent weeks. Newton officers say the complaints that have been coming in deal with scammers who claim to be with the IRS, Social Security, Amazon, banks, and even local law enforcement agencies. The scammers say there is some problem or that you have won a prize, and request a payment to resolve the fake issue or redeem the prize. Often, Newton Police say the scammers alter caller ID information and tell their victims to buy gift cards and share the card numbers with them. 

The Newton Police Department advises never sharing personal information such as Social Security number, financial details, or account numbers with someone you don’t know over the phone. The police also note law enforcement agencies, the IRS, and most legitimate businesses do not accept gift cards as payment. Anyone who believes they have been a victim of a scam should report it to their local law enforcement agency, their bank, and to the Federal Trade Commission.