A woman is out thousands of dollars after falling for a scam Tuesday morning.
Police say she received a call from a number that was very close to her own. A man on the line said her identity had been stolen and she would have to pay for a new Social Security number He told her to go to target and get gift cards to pay him. He insisted she stay on the line with him through the process and that he was recording the call.
The man said the government had an agreement with Target. The woman bought $2,900 in gift cards and provided him with the information on the back of the cards. When she spoke with family members later, they notified her this was a scam and she contacted police.
Please know that phone numbers can be spoofed and look as though they are coming from the entity the person is identifying with.
If you are being told you need to pay money to any government agency, tell the person you will call the agency yourself to verify the information.
It is also a good practice to involve another family member and discuss the information before deciding to pay any money. Remember, government agencies do not request payment by gift cards over the phone.
Thank you,