A (501) C Non-Profit Organization
Tri-County
Crime Stoppers
of Minnesota, Inc.
Serving Central Minnesota
P.O. Box 545 St. Cloud, MN 56302-0545
St. Cloud Area and Cellular 2000 customers: 255-1301
Outside St. Cloud: 1-800-255-1301
About Crime Stoppers
Crime Stoppers Open Cases
for Week of January 26, 2004
Benton County Sheriff: Business Burglary
The Benton County Sheriff is investigating
a burglary that occurred on Wednesday, January 28th, at about 1:00 AM at
Donahue Harley-Davidson, 3555 Shadowwood Drive in Sauk Rapids.
Surveillance videotape showed two suspects dressed in dark clothing
throwing a garbage can through the front window. After entering the store,
they stole several leather jackets. They left the store through the same
broken window. A complete inventory of stolen items is still being
compiled.
St. Cloud Police Department, January 27, 2004 -
CRIME ALERT
The St. Cloud Police Department is requesting
assistance from our local media in alerting citizens to telephonic
attempts to obtain personal and account information that can be used to
perpetrate fraud and identity theft crimes.
Individuals claiming to be security and fraud investigators for credit
card issuers or account representatives for bank or other financial
institutions have been contactingci1izens in an attempt to obtain personal
or account information.
Here is an example: a citizen receives a call
from a person posing as a security investigator for their credit card
issuer. The caller advises the citizen "your credit card bas been flagged
for an unusual purchase pattern" and asks the citizen if they made &
specific purchase (like a television, for example) from a company or
retailer in a distant location (like Ohio, for example).
When the citizen says "no", the imposter continues by explaining that a
credit will be issued to the account and to facilitate their
investigation, they need to verify certain personal or account
information. This information may include the citizen's name and current
address. The imposter then asks the citizen to verify they are in
possession of their credit card by turning the card over and reading the
series of numbers that are listed on the back of the card to the imposter!
Obviously, this series of numbers axe the account number and security
code. Once obtained, these criminals then use the account for fraudulent
and other criminal purposes.
Citizens may also receive calls from other imposters posing as bank,
credit union or other financial institutions in an attempt to obtain
personal or account information that is then used to perpetrate fraud or
theft of identity related crimes. Citizens should be aware that this
activity is reported to be on the increase throughout Minnesota and
elsewhere and these imposters make every effort to sound legitimate!
It is important for citizens to know that credit card issuers, banks or
other financial institutions may ask you to provide certain personal
information to verify your identity when you contact them by telephone.
However, citizens should be wary when they are contacted telephonically to
provide or to verify their name, address, account or other personal
information that should already be known by or on file with their credit
card provider, bank or other financial institution.
Citizens should not disclose personal or account information if they are
contacted telephonically in this fashion. Additionally, citizens should
not call any telephone number provided by the caller in an attempt to
"legitimize" the call. Citizens should advise the caller that to determine
the authenticity of the call and/or to rectify a problem with their
account they will contact their customer service representative at the
number that has previously been provided by the credit card issuer, bank
or other financial institution.
Customer service numbers are in most cases, listed on financial statements
or may be imprinted on credit cards. Credit card issuers, banks and other
financial institutions are aware of the significant increase of fraud and
identity theft crimes and provide these numbers for you to use to
safeguard your information and reduce your likelihood of victimization by
these con artists.
For additional information or other assistance in preventing fraud or
identity theft, contact the St. Cloud Police Department Crime Prevention
Unit at (320) 650-3682.
We are a non-profit agency solely dependent upon donations for our funding. Learn more about how you can help us!