ADA COUNTY, Idaho — The Ada County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) is raising awareness about a new method scammers are using to extort Treasure Valley residents.
The sheriff's office said on social media it received reports of a "grant scam," in which scammers pressure residents to buy gift cards and then extort them for their money. They pose as Facebook friends and tell residents about a $100,000 grant they can receive.
Scammers trick victims into speaking with another scammer to find out about the grant. The sheriff's office said the scammers will then tell victims they must pay the taxes and shipping on the grant and will have to pay with a gift card.
The sheriff's office said once the gift card is sent, scammers will tell victims the gift card didn't go through and the IRS is now involved, and they will demand more gift cards.
Gift cards are a common way scammers steal money from their victims, as once they are redeemed, the money cannot be recovered.
ACSO provided a list of tips to protect yourself from scams:
- If they ask for payment in the form of gift cards or prepaid debit cards – it’s probably a scam.
- If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If there is a promise of a large cash payout, an all expenses paid trip, or a surprisingly dirt cheap deal, it may be a scam.
- If they become pushy, encourage you to send money or gift cards quickly, threaten to have you thrown in jail or issue a warrant for your arrest for not complying with their demands, it may be a scam. Many scammers will hone in on someone’s fear, which may cause someone to make irrational decisions, such as a sending a large sum of money.
- If they ask you to stay on the phone for long periods of time — especially while making withdrawals at the bank or purchasing cards — it’s a scam.
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