New scam targets area residents

The fraud attempts continue in Blue Springs and around the Kansas City area.
On July 6, the Blue Springs Police Department received yet another report in an ongoing scam where unknown callers are attempting to steal money from residents.
According to the city, a resident received a call on July 5 at about 9 p.m. from someone stating her name was “Katrina” and that she was calling on behalf of the Blue Springs Water Department. 
Merideth Parrish, spokesperson for the city, said the person told the victim that he had not paid his water bill and that he needed to send a certified check in the amount of approximately $40 to keep his water bill current. 
“The person was smart enough to know it was a scam,” Parrish said.
In addition, the caller stated the city no longer collects the money for the water department and now contracts with her company to collect the payments. 
“That’s just not true,” Parrish said.
When questioned, the caller hung up.
Beth Overstreet, supervisor of the Blue Springs Water Department, said residents should be aware that no such calls would be made by the city.
“Residents should be aware that the City of Blue Springs will never call a customer and ask for banking and/or credit card information so that a water bill will be paid,” Overstreet said.
“Payments over the phone will only be initiated when a customer calls the Water Department and requests this transaction to be made.”
This form of criminal activity is going on throughout the greater Kansas City Metro Area, according to Parrish.
“If you receive a call from anyone asking for personal information, hang up the phone and contact the Police Department,” Police Chief Wayne McCoy said.
Other scams have occurred in Blue Springs and Independence during the past six months. In some instances, callers have pretended to be law enforcement officers informing victims that a relative has been in an accident. It’s an attempt to establish your phone to forward calls to a long distance number for the use of others.
Other recent scams involved people calling in an effort to get credit card information over the phone to pay utility bills.