Thursday, December 13, 2018

Be aware of scammers
For scammers, the season of holiday giving is the season of taking, and Tennesseans’ hard-earned money tops scammers’ wish lists. Unfortunately, Tennessee consumers are falling for scammers’ ploys when it comes to gift card swindles in increasing numbers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC)’s Consumer Sentinel Network reports Tennesseans lost nearly $1 million through prepaid gift card scams this year, a 44 % increase compared to 2017. Scammers want the cards’ PIN number for fast cash, and they’re willing to do and say anything to get those numbers from consumers. The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s Division of Consumer Affairs (TDCI) is warning consumers of a new and increasingly common scam where callers pretending to represent a federal or state agency contact consumers about a fictitious debt and demand payment in the form of a prepaid gift card or risk punishment. Consumers should remember that no government agency will ever demand payment in the form of a re-loadable gift card. “Gift card scams are growing as thieves learn they can take advantage of unsuspecting and vulnerable consumers,” says Commissioner Julie Mix McPeak. “I urge consumers to educate themselves in order to fight back , and If someone calls you demanding payment with a gift card, I urge you to hang up and report the incident to your local law enforcement authorities.”


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