Locals are apparently falling victim to gift card scams, in which someone pretending to be someone you know asks you to purchase gift cards like a Google Play or iTunes card and then give them the numbers on the back of the card.
Most recently, Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson has been a victim of this scam, as someone has been sending Jefferson County employees text messages pretending to be Robinson, even confirming his personal information such as his address, cell number and email address.
In one message, the scammer identifies himself as Robinson and asks the recipient — who is addressed as Chad — to handle something discreetly.
“I aimed at surprising some of our diligent staff with gift cards. This should be confidential until they all have the gift cards as it’s a surprise,” said the text message. “You can get it done now, you get 5qty of eBay gift cards $100 value on each (total $500) you should get them at any local store.”
According to the Federal Trade Commission, gift card scams are popular because they’re easy for people to find and buy, and they have fewer protections for buyers compared to some other payment options. They’re more like cash: once you use the card, the money on it is gone, and scammers like this.
According to the FTC, if someone calls you and demands that you pay them with gift cards, it is most likely a scammer.
The FTC asks that you report fraudulent activity to ReportFraud.ftc.gov even if you didn’t pay or otherwise lose money on…
