Two Johnston Residents Lose More Than $16,000 In Phone Scams
BENSON, N.C. — Two Johnston County residents lost a combined $16,647 after scammers posing as bank fraud investigators convinced the victims to withdraw cash and purchase gift cards in separate incidents reported just one day apart.
Both victims are 73 years old, and in each case the scammers claimed there had been suspicious activity involving the victim’s bank account before directing them to move their money to supposedly protect it.
A Meadow community resident told the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office she received a phone call from someone claiming to work in her bank’s fraud department. The caller said unauthorized charges had been made on her account and instructed her to immediately withdraw $5,500 in cash.
The victim was then directed to purchase Lowe’s and Home Depot gift cards and provide the card numbers to the caller. By the time she realized she had been scammed, the money was gone.
Just one day later, a McGee’s Crossroads area resident reported a similar scheme.
The victim said she received a call from someone claiming to represent the Bank of America fraud department. The caller alleged there had been suspicious activity on her account before transferring her to someone posing as a supervisor with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
Sheriff’s investigators said the scammers convinced the victim that local bank employees could not be trusted and instructed her to withdraw her money to keep it safe. She withdrew $11,147 and ultimately sent the funds to the scammers using gift cards.
Authorities said neither victim’s money could be recovered.
The Johnston County Sheriff’s Office is reminding residents that legitimate banks, government agencies and law enforcement officers will never instruct customers to withdraw money, purchase gift cards or provide gift card numbers over the phone.
Anyone who receives a similar call should hang up immediately and contact their bank using the telephone number listed on the back of their debit or credit card. Residents are also encouraged to discuss these scams with elderly family members, who are frequently targeted by fraudsters.
Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a scam should contact their local law enforcement agency as soon as possible.
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Again?! The county needs to send out MAILED letters informing of these scams! Elderly people are not always on social media reading about these scammers and can be very trusting because this was not an issue in their day. It is just so horrible.
I have some oceanfront property in Arizona for sell as well if they would love to buy it as well….
I some ocean front property in Four Oaks.
Just to make it sound more realistic.
These folk’s relatives need to set up their phones to only accept incoming calls from numbers in their contacts list and help them set up that list.
The scammers WILL NOT stop until EVERYBODY knows how to spot scams and avoid being a victim. Scammers have zero empathy, zero compassion and zero morals. Why are we still letting them rob our own people? Luckily the scammers are now on the FBI’s radar, but they can’t be everywhere all the time. BE VIGILANT, PEOPLE!
Buy a answer machine for your home landline phone, NEVER answer said phone. Scammers usually never leave message and if they do, just listen. DO NOT PICK UP. This gives you chance to ponder the message as legit or not and by no means call back number they give. Take time to look for a customer service number on your most recent statement / bill / company / etc… and use that number to call about any problems. If cellphone, don’t answer any numbers you do not recognize. Let them go to voicemail and treat them same as above for land line phone. Text messages, just read what is posted, but DO NOT click on any links. If it looks like it might be legit to you, contact the business like above also. This will keep your money in your Pocket away from these crooks, guaranteed. I remind my family this every time I talk to them. I will be showing this scam article to them tomorrow as a reminder.
A fool and their money are soon parted.