Saratoga County Officials Warning: Local Agency Credit Card Scam

Saratoga County is warning residents about a scam that is starting to pop up on credit card statements, and it could easily catch people off guard.

County officials say scammers are impersonating the Saratoga County Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and placing charges on credit card bills that appear to come from the department.

Here is the key thing to know. The Saratoga County Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services does not accept credit cards and cannot process credit card payments. Any charge that shows up on a statement claiming to be from this department is fraudulent.

Several people have already reported seeing these charges and reached out to the County for answers. Officials say those individuals were not clients of the department, which is reassuring. Because of that, the County is confident that no client information was compromised and no County accounts were affected.

Still, the situation is being taken seriously. Saratoga County is working closely with the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office as the reports are investigated and the source of the charges is tracked down.

If you notice a charge on your credit card bill from the Saratoga County Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, you should contact the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office right away at 518-885-6761. You should also follow the steps recommended by your bank or credit card company for reporting fraudulent charges and protecting your account.

As scams become more convincing, officials remind residents to review statements carefully and question any charge that does not make sense. When in doubt, it is always better to ask and report it.