The area code 876 scam is similar to Sweepstakes scams. It follows the same pattern as that used in the lottery and “You’ve Won A Prize” types of scams, where you need to pay a small fee in advance then they will wire your winnings to your account. Don’t fall for it.
It is estimated that $300 million is lost annually through this scam! The target age group is predominantly senior citizens. But anyone else ignorant of these schemes can fall victim.
So, how does the Area Code 876 scam work?
- You get a call from a number with the phone prefix 876.
- The caller claims that you have won a prize and to claim it, you need to pay for:
- Processing fees,
- Taxes,
- Insurance,
- Customs fees, when they claim you have won a car.
- The caller will be persistent and can turn aggressive to the point of threatening you with physical harm. Victims have reported that they were told someone would be sent to their home as the scammer knew their address. It is just a threat because area code 876 is of Jamaica!
- Suggestions to make payment through wire transfer like Western Union, and recently, through prepaid cards bought locally. The cash amounts demanded range from a few hundred dollars to $4,000.
Area Code 876 Scam Scenarios
The caller claiming to be from Publisher Clearing House will claim that you have won a prize usually in millions. The tough thing about this is that Publisher Clearing House is a legitimate sweepstakes company so scammers use their name. Should you say that you did not enter their sweepstakes, they will reply swiftly that a friend of yours may have registered your name, or that took part in a survey and your name was entered automatically.
Another reported scenario involves the scammer claiming that they are calling from Apple Warranty Care. In this case, your warranty will expire soon if you don’t renew it immediately. The catch is that you need to pay to renew it.
The other one is getting a call from “Jamaican Mega Millions” staff who claims that you have won and could also win a car if you pay $4,000 immediately for processing.
How to Protect Yourself from Area Code 876 Scams
Here are some helpful tips to help you protect yourself from area code 876 scams.
- Screen unknown calls. Use Truecaller phone app or a similar service to help you identify the already reported scammer phone numbers. DO NOT accept calls from area code 876. You could run a reverse call look-up at www.callersmart.com to see if there is any suspicious activity related to the phone number.
- Report any number with the 876-area code to the FTC at www.ftc.gov. Here is a short manual to guide you through.
- DO NOT give any personal information over a phone call. Also, hang up as soon as you are told of winning lotteries you don’t play or those which are international. In the US it is illegal according to federal law to play international lotteries.
- Never send money through any channel under any circumstance. Once you do, it cannot be recovered.
- Additionally, you can add your phone number to the national do not call list at www.ftc.gov/donotcall. This way most telemarketers and phone scammers are somewhat shielded from reaching you.
- Inform/educate your elderly relatives about this scam because they are the most targeted group.
