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Scammers using gift card to steal

By submitted

05/01/2019

Editors note: the following release was submitted by Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

There seems to be new scams each and every day, therefore, it’s difficult for everyone to be up on the latest scam.

Currently, we are seeing scammers use gift cards to steal money from the unsuspecting public. Scammers are telling their victims to buy gift cards (iTunes – Google Play, etc.,) at Walmart and other retail stores.

A recent victim to this scam was contacted by a scammer who told him that his computer had a “virus”, and the scammer had him believing they would fix the problem once he provided them a payment via a gift card. We are seeing victims who are typically elderly citizens are sending thousands of their hard earned dollars to scammers. Scammers are thieves, and criminals who prey on innocent people.

These thieves call victims with urgent news or a convincing story. They may claim to be from Microsoft or some other entity and then pressure the victim to pay them by buying a gift card, like an iTunes or Google Play card, and then insist on having the person give them the codes on the back of the card. Once the codes are given, it is next to impossible to trace the transaction and to retrieve their money.

Anyone who asks you to pay for anything, including tech support services with a gift card is scamming you. No legitimate company will ever ask you to pay with a gift card.

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