Scam alert: Callers pretending to be ATF agents target victims
Elderly couple help Shelby police catch Geek Squad impersonator in busting scam
It all started when an elderly couple in Shelby Township received a fake email on April 5, purporting to be from Geek Squad, stating there were unauthorized charges on their account.
(FOX 2) - Scammers pretending to be with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) are working to trick people into sending them money in the form of gift cards.
According to the ATF, these scammers call from a number that appears to originate from Martinsburg, W. Va., say they are agents or officers with the organization, and tell the person who answered that they need to purchase Apple gift cards in amounts of $500 or $1,000 to "clear a red flag" from their accounts. Once the victims buy the cards, they are asked to provide the gift card number.
The ATF said it will never:
- Call or email private citizens to demand payment or threaten arrest. You will not be asked to wire a "settlement" to avoid arrest.
- Ask you to use large sums of your own money to help catch a criminal.
- Request you send money via wire transfer to foreign accounts, cryptocurrency, or gift/prepaid cards.
- Call you about "frozen" Social Security numbers or to coordinate inheritances.
Tips for protecting yourself from scams
- Do not share personal or financial information with unsolicited callers or emails.
- Verify the legitimacy of any contact claiming to be from a government agency by calling official numbers listed on agency websites, such as www.atf.gov.
- Report suspicious calls to the ATF at 1-888-ATF-TIPS (1-888-283-8477) or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.
- If you have been a victim of this scam, contact your local law enforcement immediately.
The Source: This information is from the ATF.