By SALINA POST
On Thursday, an 83-year-old Salina woman became the latest victim of a gift card scam, losing $3,500 over ten days to a fraudulent caller.
According to Salina Police Cpt. James Feldman, the scam began when the victim was contacted by a man claiming they were high school acquaintances. He promised her a $100,000 prize if she provided $3,000 in gift cards.
"The caller said he was from 2024FHCS Worldwide, Promo/Agent. The caller was able to obtain personal information from the victim," Feldman said. "The caller then told the victim to purchase the $1,000 Apple gift card and send them the card activation numbers to get her winnings. The victim ended up purchasing two $500 Amazon gift cards and provided the numbers."
Despite initial confusion with the type of gift cards, the scammer persisted, even fabricating a story that the IRS had placed a hold on her winnings, leading to further demands for Apple gift cards.
Captain Feldman warned that these types of scams, often targeting the elderly, are becoming more frequent. He urged residents to be cautious if asked to pay with gift cards, stressing that legitimate agencies and businesses do not conduct transactions this way.
"If people have elderly neighbors or relatives, please discuss these types of situations with them," Feldman said. "If any store employees who sell gift cards to situations where they suspect someone purchasing gift cards is being taken advantage of please reach out to their local police department."