Personal Finance
Beware Gift Card Phone Scams
Per the Police Log, at least twice, callers have attempted or committed this crime in Westwood. Here's how to avoid being the next victim.
Your phone rings. It's Amazon, the IRS, the phone company, or a similar entity. They say you need to pay a fee. There might be threats of jail time. Happily, this fee can be paid in iTunes, Amazon, or Google Play gift cards right over the phone. Should you do it?
As you may have guessed, this is a commonplace scam. Last week, two incidences of the gift card phone scam were reported to the Westwood Police. In one, a resident got a call saying their Amazon.com account was "compromised", and a website which requested Google Play gift cards could unlock it. In the other, a Panera employee received a call from the Social Security Administration saying the employee was "involved in illegal activity," and would be arrested if they did not give them Apple Gift cards.
If you receive such a call, hang up and do not buy the gift cards. The website Hoax Slayer reports "Scammers are using this method because iTunes Gift Card purchases cannot be easily traced back to offenders. If victims pay using the cards, it will usually be impossible for them to get their money back....Any call that wants you to pay a supposed debt or fine using an iTunes card is certain to be a scam. No legitimate entity will ever ask that you make a payment using iTunes Gift Cards. If you receive such a call, just hang up." The Federal Trade Commission requests people contacted by gift card phone scams file a complaint on their website.