YCSO working with area businesses to stop scams
Gift cards are popular and extremely convenient. They also happen to be a scammer’s favorite form of payment.
With this in mind, the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) is launching a new “Stop Gift Card Scams” campaign and will be distributing warning signs to all area businesses that sell them.
Spokesperson Tania Pavlak said volunteers from the sheriff’s office are currently going to stores in the community and offering training to employees on how to spot a gift card scam.
“We may not be able to stop all of the scammers but working together we can help prevent more people from becoming victims,” Pavlak said.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the most common form of fraud the past two years has been the imposter scam, which has collectively cost victims more than $2.3 billion in 2021– up from $1.2 billion in 2020.
Imposter scams, which are exactly what they sound like, generally start with some form of unsolicited phone call, email, text or social media message.
Depending on who the message appears to be from, the scammer will be posing as a company, person, charity or government agency that someone generally trusts in an attempt to have money sent to them.
“Scammers often catch people off guard and can be very deceptive,” Pavlak said. “Once they have the money there is no way of linking it to them or getting a refund.”
While anyone can be a victim, scams generally target the elderly.
Gift cards, however, are still the most used form of payment for scammers because they are easy to find and buy, and they have fewer protections for buyers compared to some other payment methods.
After having the victim go to a particular store to buy the gift card the scammer will demand the number or pin on the back of the card, which allows them to get the money that was loaded onto it.
And just like that, the victim’s money is gone.
“Remember, gift cards are for gifts, not payments,” Pavlak said. “Anytime someone demands to be paid with a gift card it is a scam.”
While the sheriff’s office has been warning the public about the various types of scams over the years, it is now taking a different approach.
Pavlak explained area businesses that sell gift cards or provide money wire services can play a major role in stopping scams before they happen and would encourage them to take part in the program.
As part of the program a warning sign will be posted on the counter where people purchase gift cards, informing the buyer that if they are getting the card to pay a government agency, or for tech support, a family member in trouble, an arrest warrant, fines, lottery winning or utility bills, you are being scammed.
“No legitimate business, government, or law enforcement agency would ever call you demanding a gift card as a form of payment,” Pavlak said.
Here is a list of common gift card scams:
• Jury duty scam: The caller pretends to be someone from the courthouse who claims that you failed to report for jury duty and a warrant has been issued for your arrest. You are then offered a choice to either pay the warrant or have an officer sent over to arrest you. The scammer will demand that the fine be paid by money transfer or by gift card.
• Warrant scam: You get a phone call from someone posing as a law enforcement officer who claims you have an outstanding warrant. The scammers may even use names of local officers in order to make the scam seem legitimate. They will instruct you to wire funds or pay by gift card to clear the warrant.
• IRS scam: The caller says they are from the IRS and that you have to pay taxes or a fine. They will instruct you to wire funds or pay by gift card.
• Tech Support scam: Someone calls from tech support, maybe saying they’re from Apple or Microsoft, saying there is something wrong with your computer.
• Romance scam: You meet someone special on a dating website, but then they need money and ask you to help them. This romance scammer makes up any story to trick you into sending them gift cards.
• Grandparent scam: The caller pretends to be a friend or family member in an emergency and asks you to send money right away– but not tell anyone. This is a scam. If you are worried, hang up and call your friend or relative to check that everything is alright.
• Lottery scam: The caller says you have won a prize but first, you have to pay fees or other charges with a gift card. Remember, no honest business or agency will ever make you pay with a gift card. Also, did you even enter that sweepstakes?
• Utility scam: The caller says they are from your power company, or another utility company. They tell you to pay your bill by gift card immediately or they will cut off your service. Utility companies do not work that way.
• Fake check scam: You get a check from someone buying something from you, probably online, for way more than you expected. They tell you to deposit the check and then give them the difference on a gift card. However, that check will be fake, and you will be out all that money.
Businesses interested in partnering with the YCSO in the program, or have any questions, are asked to please contact the sheriff’s office of volunteers at (928) 819-2212 or send an email to SOWebmaster@ycso.yumacountyaz.gov.