Has someone called you and asked you to buy a gift card? You might be the target of a scam.
“I would recommend that no one ever pays anyone who calls them,” said Captain Frank Copeland of the Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office. “Do not give money to people who ask for it.”
Many scammers call and ask for a credit card number, or they ask the target to buy a gift card of some sort, which are harder to trace.
Commonly, they tell the target they have a warrant, a family is in jail or there is an outstanding fine.
One such scammer called a Gilmer County resident and claimed to be a deputy from Cherokee County. He told the person there was an outstanding warrant.
Copeland received a call from the local resident. It turns out, Copeland knew the deputy and let him know his name was being used.
“We do not call and ask for money, ever,” Copeland said. “We don’t do that, we show up.”
Many times, scammers will rush the target. They will stay on the phone while the target goes to buy a card. The scammer does not want you to stop and think or call someone you trust.
Copeland recommends hanging up the phone when you get a call demanding these transactions. If the target feels it may be legitimate, they should look up the number of the agency on their own and contact them.
In some scams, the caller pretends to be a relative who is in jail or had an accident. He said you should hang up and call a relative directly to check out the story.
During this time of hurricane disasters, Copeland recommends being careful of people calling for donations as well. Many scammers jump on the chance to call people who may want to help.
“If you want to help, go to an organization or group you are familiar with,” he said.