Police warn public, advise businesses to educate their workers
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – One week after a worker at one popular Bend restaurant fell victim to a sophisticated phone scam, to the tune of $2,000, an employee at another sent scammers over $3,000 in gift cards, police said Wednesday, warning the public and urging businesses to educate workers, to avoid such costly crimes.
As NewsChannel 21 reported last week, police received a report on Dec. 28 of a theft at Bangers and Brews and SW Simpson Avenue, Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.
A caller told an employee the business owner was being held by U.S. marshals, the restaurant was being audited and the worker needed to send $1,000 in gift cards in order to have the owner released, Miller said.
Ultimately, the employee provided $1,000 in gift cards to the scammer and another $1,000 from a personal bank account via an online app.
“The scammers spoofed the owner’s phone number and seemed to know information about the business and its employees,” Miller said in a news release.
On Wednesday, police received a report of a theft at the Shari’s North on N. Highway 97, Miller said.
In this case, the restaurant manager told police an employee got a call during the night from someone claiming to be the Shari’s corporate financial auditor.
The caller, who spoofed the district manager’s phone number, claimed the restaurant had received counterfeit bills, and the…
