An Orofino resident this week contacted the Clearwater Tribune regarding a phone call from DISH Network that she believed to be a scam.
On Monday, out of the blue, an individual claiming to be a representative of DISH Network called her to say that her satellite receiver needed to be replaced. The caller said it would cost $100 to replace the receiver, but that they would give her $10 off her monthly bill, over a period of 10 months, to pay for the receiver.
The caller then asked for her debit card. By this time, she had given the phone to her son, who refused the caller’s request for a debit card.
The Clearwater Tribune is frequently contacted about all manner of telephone scams, from callers purporting to represent legitimate companies or government agencies. These scams usually target senior citizens.
If you receive a call and are at all uncertain about the legitimacy of the call, hang up. Use the internet, a phone book, or some other means to find a legitimate contact number for the business or agency the caller claimed to represent, and call and ask the business or agency whether they actually contacted you.
Victims of these scams always report that the caller was very convincing, but real companies and agencies do not call you out of the blue and request credit card or bank information.
In an interesting twist in this particular case, the Orofino resident said that the day before, this past Sunday, a man claiming to be with DISH Network came to her house and worked on her satellite dish. The resident reported that, while he was working on the dish, she did not notice a marked DISH Network vehicle parked anywhere within sight.
It is unknown whether or not the repairman was involved with the telephone scam, but she and her son reported him to the police.
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