Recently a local woman received an offer telling her that she was eligible to receive a $14,000 grant available for elderly people. But she had to pay taxes and fees first. She was directed to go to Dollar General and buy an app card. She paid $200 and then got suspicious when they said she needed to send another $100.
She called the Arkansas Attorney General’s office and learned that she had been the victim of a scam.
“Con artists are very convincing and constantly update scam tactics to take advantage of hard-working Arkansans,” Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge said. “All Arkansans must be cautious when presented with an unsolicited offer and should always independently confirm all information before handing over payment of any kind. If it sounds too good to be true, it’s probably a scam.”
In addition to the homeless grant, common scams circulating include calls from fraudulent sources claiming to be the IRS or a utility company. Often the scammers request payments with gift cards or other prepaid cards because they are difficult to trace.
The Attorney General’s office has the following advice on avoiding getting ripped off:
- No government agency will ever request payment using an iTunes card or any gift card.
- Ask yourself if this could be a scam before reacting and turning over any money.
- Never give the serial number of a loaded gift card or wire money based on any unsolicited phone call.
- Beware of unsolicited phone calls. When in doubt, hang up and get the business’s phone number from an independent source.
- Verify the information given by the caller. Call the family member or government agency directly, and remember that scammers can spoof caller ID systems.
- Giving away the serial number of a loaded gift card is like giving cash away. Once the gift card code is turned over, the criminal has control of the card value. Once the value is redeemed, the consumer cannot get the money back – even if it is later learned that the recipient is not who they claimed to be.
- If you believe you have been scammed, contact the card issuer. Some retailers may replace lost or stolen cards for a fee if you can provide the ID number on the card. If the company does not resolve the issue, contact the Attorney General Consumer Protection Division to file a consumer complaint. Call (800) 482-8982, email oag@ArkansasAG.gov or file a complaint at arkansasag.gov/resources/contact-us/.
- Most important, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it is. Investigate the offer before accepting or paying any money.