Officials make people aware of scams

OAK HARBOR — Earlier this month, Oak Harbor's government and police department hosted a seminar on financial exploitation and scam awareness at the Oak Harbor Public Library.

"After the presentation, attendees shared ways they had been a victim or avoided a scam in the past," according to a village statement. "It was very insightful and open dialogue about how we can help each other stay safe as a community."

The police department offered up some major clues in recognizing scams.

As explained by police, scammers often:

• Contact people in an unexpected way

• Are in a hurry or a rush; "Scammers want to speed things up so the victim doesn’t think things through or recognize clues," according to a department statement.

• Tell victims how to pay such as through gift cards, cryptocurrency, cash/wire transfers and payment applications, like PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, etc.

"If you ever have a question about whether something may be a scam, Oak Harbor police is happy to spend time with you and discuss what is going on before you make a payment."

People can contact the department by calling 419-898-2055.

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Officials make people aware of scams