Phone Scam Costs Clayton Couple More Than $12,000

CLAYTON, N.C. — A Johnston County couple lost more than $12,000 after falling victim to a sophisticated telephone scam in which the caller falsely claimed to be a federal investigator.

According to the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office, the couple received a phone call from someone identifying themselves as an investigator with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The caller claimed fraudulent charges had been made on the victims’ bank account, including a $2,000 transaction in Pensacola, Florida, and a $100 charge in Clayton. The caller then allegedly convinced the couple their local bank was involved in the fraud and instructed them to withdraw all of the money from their accounts.

Investigators said the scammer also persuaded the victims to obtain a cash advance on one of their credit cards.

Before realizing they had been deceived, the couple had lost a total of $12,016.

The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.

Authorities remind residents that banks and federal agencies will never instruct customers to withdraw their money or move funds to a “safe account”. Anyone receiving an unexpected call requesting money transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or large cash withdrawals should hang up and contact their financial institution directly using a verified phone number.