Reloadable debit cards

Fayetteville police are warning residents of a new scam that uses reloadable debit cards to get cash from victims.

The scam works in several ways. In some cases, scammers call victims and tell them their electricity or other utilities will be disconnected if they don’t make a payment. In one local case, a victim was told he’d won a very large sum of money from Publisher’s Clearing House and would be charged a transaction fee for his award.

The victims are instructed to purchase a Green Dot “money pak” or debit card and to add funds to the card. Victims are then either told to provide the card’s pin number to the scammer or to deliver the card to a “local representative.” Once the scammer has the PIN or the card, they can transfer the money immediately to another account. Once transferred, the victim’s money is lost.

According to several news reports, the scam is spreading across the country.

From the news release:

Chief Tabor advises citizens beware of these get rich quick schemes. Citizens are reminded not to give out personal information on the phone, through the mail of over the internet unless you have initiated the contact. Beware of promotional scams or promises of lottery winnings that sound too good to be true.

To report suspected fraud or scams, contact the Fayetteville Police Department at 479-587-3555.