By Patricia Breakey
DELHI _ The Delaware County Sheriff's Office issued an alert Wednesday after two area banks reported fraudulent calls seeking ATM and debit card information.
Investigator Karl Vagts said people throughout the Delhi and Walton exchanges were getting automated calls indicating that their ATM or debit cards had been canceled or were expired. The banks reporting such calls were Delaware National Bank in Delhi and the National Bank of Delaware County in Walton.
The caller indicted that by entering the card number using the phone keypad, the card would be reactivated, Vagts said.
"They were going through the whole Delhi exchange in what appeared to be numeric order," Vagts said. "People are so dependant on their ATM, debit and credit cards, some of them gave out the information and then had second thoughts and called the bank and the sheriff's department."
Vagts said several of the fraudulent calls were received at the sheriff's department, probation and emergency services.
Delaware County Undersheriff Douglas Vredenburgh said one of the calls came in on his private line and was answered by his secretary.
Thinking the call was legitimate and that Vredenburgh's debit card had been canceled, the secretary called him on his cell phone at the Board of Supervisors meeting to alert him, Vredenburgh said.
"I just went next door to the bank to find out what was wrong, and there was a flurry of activity going on there," Vredenburgh said. "They had received numerous calls from people who were also trying to find out what was going on."
Vagts said he had checked with the Otsego County Sheriff's Department and other area agencies, but the calls seemed to be limited to Delaware County.
"As far as we know, no money has been withdrawn from any of the accounts that belong to people who entered the numbers on their phones," Vagts said.
The Delhi Telephone Company was working to try to determine the origin of the calls, but several area codes were being used, including 302 in the state of Delaware and 208 in Idaho.
"The calls could be coming over the Internet and originating from anywhere," Vagts said. "Because of all the new technology, area codes can be used to set up phone numbers anywhere.
"We called one of the numbers that showed up on caller identification, and it turned out to be a legitimate business," Vagts added. "The man who answered was none too happy. It seems we were not the first call he had received."
Vagts said people may also be receiving text messages and e-mails about the alleged card cancellations. He warned people not to divulge information about their account or any other personal information.
People who have received such a call and provided account information should immediately call their bank, local law enforcement or the county sheriff's office at 746-2336.
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Patricia Breakey can be reached at 746-2894 or at stardelhi@stny.rr.com.
