A financial scam is circulating the area, and Whitesboro residents want to warn their friends and neighbors.
Two men purporting to be from Publisher’s Clearing House, a company most widely known for its sweepstakes and prize money give-aways, have been calling area phone numbers. Callers tell people that they’ve won $2 million and a brand-new Mercedes Benz. If the recipients don’t take the car, they allegedly get an additional $180,000.
According to these men, Publisher’s Clearing House will send a van to the winner’s home to deliver roses and champagne along with their prize. All people have to do to claim their winnings is provide a Green Dot MoneyPak prepaid card in the amount of $499.99 for “insurance” or “taxes.”
These cards can be purchased at places like convenience stores and dollar stores and can be used instead of a credit card. Once the “winner” has purchased the card, the caller will ask them to provide the code located under the scratch-off strip on the reverse side of the card over the phone. They quickly claim the money from the card, and no prizes are ever actually awarded.
One resident went to the Whitesboro Family Dollar/Dollar Tree to ask about the MoneyPak card, and the store manager convinced them it was a scam.
“Don’t fall for it,” he said.
This same resident also alerted Whitesboro Police, who said they would look into the situation. Whitesboro Police Chief Kevin Dockery wants people to recognize the fact that there are multiple ways people can scam the public and steal personal identification and financial information.
“The Publishers Clearing House scam, along with many other scams, involves email, text messages, phone calls or social media messages claiming you have won a prize with the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes,” Dockery said. “It is often a considerable amount of money, however with the scam you can only claim the winnings by wiring money, paying with a gift card or handing over personally identifiable information such as name, address, social security number, phone number and email address. Sometimes, scammers even send fake checks with a phone number to call for instructions on how to cash the check.
“The scammers will then ask you to wire some of the funds, which forces you to pay the difference when the check does not clear.”
The Publishers Clearing House scam is nothing new, and it’s certainly not the only way malicious people try to take advantage of unsuspecting victims. Other scams include people impersonating law enforcement officers or government officials attempting to exploit innocent individuals.
“It is crucial to stay informed and vigilant to protect yourself and loved ones from falling victim to these scams,” Dockery said.
There are several ways to protect oneself from becoming a scam victim:
•Do not share Social Security numbers, Medicare ID numbers or financial information with someone you don’t know who contacts you by phone, text message, social media or by email.
•Be cautious if someone asks for money by wire transfer, gift cards or asks you to cash a check and send a portion of the money back to them.
•Be aware of scammers’ scare tactics attempting to create fear.
“Trust your instincts and never hesitate to contact the Whitesboro Police Department or your local law enforcement agency,” Dockery said.
If you feel you have been a victim of this latest Publishers Clearing House/Green Dot MoneyPak card scam, file a fraud claim at www.greendot.com immediately and contact Whitesboro Police as quickly as possible.
Source: Freepik.com