Full Notification

A resident recently reported an attempted Elder Scam where a person posing as a neighbor phoned an elderly relative and requested the relative to purchase prepaid gift cards.

Unfortunately, these types of scams, and other scams alike, happen all too frequently. Often time with Elder Scams, the suspect pretends to be a younger relative and presents a completely fabricated story about needing cash sent in a hurry due to suffering some hardship such as a vehicle crash, needing bail money, etc... The victim is typically instructed to purchase a prepaid gift card(s) such as: iTunes, Green Dot, Walmart, etc...then provide the P.I.IN. to the scammer. Once the P.I.N. is provided by the victim, the cash is nearly impossible to attempt to track and often times it is received overseas.

Additionally, the UMTPD would like to remind you that it is the time of year when I.R.S. scams are likely to start up. In these instances, the scammer contacts the victim and poses as an I.R.S. agent demanding cash be sent via prepaid gift cards, MoneyGram or something of the like. Often times the scammer is quite threatening in nature.

The UMTPD would like to remind you that legitimate government agencies do not contact you and pressure you for cash transfers, more especially not via iTunes cards, MoneyGram, etc... Also, several of our astute residents have avoided Elder/Grandparent scams simply by contacting their younger relatives and confirming the call was not from them and the call was in fact a scam.

We thank our residents for continuing to remain alert for scammers and encourage you to contact the UMTPD should the need occur.