State police in Indiana County are warning people about a scam that has been reported in Indiana County that is targeting the county’s older population.
The alert comes as several similar scams have been reported over the past few weeks where someone is advised to purchase gift cards for products or stores like Google Play, and after making the purchase, the victim is advised to provide the scammer with the card’s pin number.
One incident happened as a victim received a fraud email saying they had been wired some Bitcoin and to call a phone number with questions concerning the alleged transaction. Once the victim called the phone number, the scammer then asked for the victim’s IP address for their computer. Once the scammer got that, they were able to log onto the victim’s computer and bank accounts, and transfer money out of the victim’s accounts.
State Police Public Information Officer Trooper Cliff Greenfield says the best thing to prevent yourself and others from getting scammed is to keep talking to people about it.
State police also say that if the email, phone call or text message looks suspicious, it probably is a scam. If you receive one, don’t click on the links or call the phone numbers, and instead, call a family member or your local law enforcement agency.
Tips for reporting and protecting yourself against common cams can be found on the FTC website.
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