WALDORF, Md. – NEVER give bank information to or buy gift cards for people you don’t know, over the phone or online! Don’t be a victim to scammers.
We continue to see fraud cases in which victims are contacted over the phone or online. Scammers claim to be from Amazon, the Social Security Administration, or law enforcement personnel. They will say that a family member is in jail and that they can bond them out by purchasing gift cards. Some scammers will go so far as to research you and name one of your family members, saying that person is incarcerated. Every day we hear about different types of scams, but they are all looking for one thing: your bank information, OR they will ask you to purchase gift cards and provide them with the numbers.
Companies, federal agencies, and law enforcement will NEVER ask for your bank account information over the phone, and they will certainly not ask for gift cards. If you are contacted by anyone requesting this information, HANG UP. If you are wondering if the call was legitimate, look up the number to that agency or company and contact them directly.
