In response to the growing number of scams confronting County residents, the Howard County Department of Citizen Services has launched a new Scam Alert! website where residents can learn about the latest and most common scams, how to identify them and how to report them. In this year alone, the Office of Consumer Affairs, Department of Citizen Services has received reports about an “IRS scam,” “Microsoft scam” and the seasonal home improvement scam.
Residents who believe they may have been contacted by a potential con artist, whether via a phone call, e-mail or door-to-door solicitation, are urged to report the incident immediately to the Office using the new site. You can also file a report with the Office by calling 410-313-6420. The Office uses these reports to alert others to the scam and forwards them on to federal enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute the worst offenders. Residents who have lost money or feel their personal safety is at risk due to a scam, should contact the Howard County Police Department’s non-emergency phone number at 410-313-2200 to file a report.