A local resident recently stopped at the Southern Pines Police Department with a copy of a death threat email he received. The resident knew it was a scam, so he did not engage further with the email.
Southern Pines Police Department has announced on social media that these are scams are currently going around.
“The scammers are real, and they prey on the elderly and the emotions of people,” wrote the police department. “Please do not send money or purchase any prepaid cards. Do not allow yourself to become a victim.”
According to the FBI, more people today are reporting “where they are being ordered to pay in virtual currency or prepaid cards to avoid harm to themselves or their families”, and the FBI has determined that these are scams “and has no information to support or validate the threats”.
The FBI has released tips for victims of these scams:
~Do not send money to someone you have not met and have no reason to trust.
~Never provide your personal information, including your bank account for another’s use. These arrangements can only end in financial loss, heartbreak, or worse.
~Be leery of anyone you did not initiate contact with who asks for payment using virtual currency or prepaid cards.
Please call local law enforcement if you have been a victim, or you can file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at 623-466-1844 even if you did not lose any money.
Contributed photo from Southern Pines Police Department
