AARP is cautioning people in Alabama about the potential danger of gift card scams that have been known to involve violent threats.
There are various forms in which scams can manifest themselves.
It is not uncommon for scammers to send text messages to unsuspecting individuals, posing as a family member or friend in distress. These fraudulent messages may claim that the sender has been in a car accident and requires financial assistance to cover legal fees. In some instances, the scammer may even ask the recipient to purchase a gift card and provide them with the code. It is important to be vigilant and cautious when receiving such messages, as they are often attempts to defraud individuals of their hard-earned money.
According to AARP, scammers were able to convince approximately 25% of the adults they contacted to purchase gift cards.
Scammers often use gift cards as a way to extort money from unsuspecting victims. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware that if someone asks you to send money through a gift card, it is most likely a fraudulent scheme.
Gift cards are favored by criminals due to their difficulty to trace.
According to Jamie Harding, an AARP Alabama representative, scammers often use threats of harm and arrest to intimidate their victims and their families. In extreme cases, they may even mention the possibility of kidnapping.
According to AARP Alabama, scammers aim to create a sense of panic in order to prevent you from pausing and reflecting.
According to Harding, they use various tactics to manipulate people into making decisions without proper consideration, causing fear and panic.
According to AARP, obtaining contact information for these scammers is a simple task.
With their ability to scrape data from the internet and purchase information from various sources, hackers can easily obtain sensitive information such as your address, phone number, or even the names of your relatives.
Moreover, it’s essential to be cautious about the personal details you disclose on social media platforms. Your information can potentially be used against you in various ways.
