Press release
As the holiday season approaches, the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about on-going scam activity involving fraudulent phone calls and spoofed PayPal e-mails designed to steal money or personal information.
Scammers are using two main tactics:
1. Phone Calls Demanding Payment: Victims receive a call claiming they owe money for a fine, tax, or fee. The caller pressures the victim to purchase gift cards—often from major retailers such as Walmart, Target, Apple, or Google Play— and to provide the card numbers over the phone. Once the card numbers are shared with the scammers, the funds are immediately redeemed.
2. Fraudulent PayPal Emails: Victims receive emails that appear to be from PayPal, instructing them to click a link to “verify” their account or send payment. These emails are fake and designed to steal login credentials or money.
Residents are urged to remain vigilant and follow these precautions:
· Never purchase gift cards at someone’s request to settle debts, fines, or fees.
· Do not respond to unknown phone calls, texts, or emails.
· Never share gift card numbers or PINs with anyone you do not personally know and trust.
· Verify suspicious communications by contacting the organization directly using its official contact information.
· Report suspected scams to your local law enforcement agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov or the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at www.ic3.gov.
The Sheriff’s Office reminds everyone that legitimate agencies will never demand payment by gift card, PayPal links sent by e-mail, or non-conventional means.