Wal Mart Gift Card Scam Hits Region

A resident just contacted Patch about a phone scam that is so "simple" but could be so harmful, that everyone should be aware of it.

He explained, "I got a phone call today from an out of state number claiming I had won a $100 Wal-Mart gift card for shopping there with my Visa card. This first aroused my suspicion as I do not have a Visa card."

She told me that all I had to do was pay a $1.99 processing fee and they would send the card to me registered mail. Then she asked me to "confirm my address" at which point I began asking questions, like "Why do you need my address if
you're already sending me the card?"

She got angry at this point and said "Do you understand the meaning of the word verification?" and I hung up.

"I don't want to see anyone get taken by something stupid like this, and it is apparently widespread.  I just wanted to get the info out that this kind of thing is going on," he said.  "Forewarned is fore-armed, right?"

So, you may ask... sounds harmless, what can they do to you if you give them the minimal information that they request?

Well, according to this article from Dayton, Ohio in September 2010,
http://www.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2010/09/27/daily35.html

A woman called the BBB to tell them she had fallen victim to scammers who told her she won a Walmart gift card. Even though the woman gave no personal or financial information, her credit union account was short $480 within two days of the call.

Thank you for the tip!