TONAWANDA, N.Y. — Don't be fooled by people pretending to be government employees.
That's the notice Town of Tonawanda Police put out Sunday afternoon, as more scams prey on people nationwide.
"Scammers will try to scare you and trick you into giving them your personal information and money," Town of Tonawanda Police wrote on Facebook. "They may threaten you or your family and may demand immediate payment to avoid arrest or other legal action. Do not be fooled!"
Since December alone in Western New York:
- The police department in Cuba, New York, warned shoppers about a scam that targeted Amazon customers.
- Amherst Police alerted residents of a scam where a suspect identifies himself or herself as a police officer, demanding the purchase of a gift card to settle debts or to avoid arrest.
- M&T Bank said people in last month have received suspicious text messages about their bank accounts and that the company was working with police to help solve the problem.
- The Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Office warned residents about a phone scam involving a person claiming to work for the Social Security Bureau.
- And in Dunkirk, police warned the public about a phone scam in which someone claims to be from the Internal Revenue Service.
The Better Business Bureau has a full list of ways you can protect yourself and make sure you're not tricked with a text message, such as checking the phone number to avoid spam calls, not clicking click suspicious links, ignoring "text (blank)" prompts, and calling the bank to ensure your finances are in order.