City of Creedmoor issued the following announcement on Nov. 20.
The Creedmoor Police Department has seen a recent increase to these types of incidents. Don’t fall victim to these thieves, especially during the upcoming holiday season.
Gift cards are popular and convenient… and not just for gifts. Con artists have latched onto gift cards as a convenient form of payment in their scams. In a 2022 AARP survey, 1 in 3 adults said they or someone they know had been asked at some point to purchase a gift card to pay a bill, fee or some other debt or obligation or to claim a prize. About one in four adults who were contacted reported they bought the cards, or approximately 13 million U.S. adults ages 18 and older.
Signs to watch for
1. You’re directed to buy one or more gift cards — often referred to as “electronic vouchers” — as a quick means of making payment.
2. You’re told to share the numbers on the back of the gift cards, by reading them off or sending a picture.
3. The request comes from someone you wouldn’t expect to ask for money this way:
• A Social Security warning of a problem with your account
• A utility company warning of an imminent shutoff
• A lottery company promising a big prize — once you pay some fees upfront
• A grandchild needing bail or facing another financial emergency.
• A online account provider (Amazon, Apple, Etc.)
Original source can be found here.
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