Gift Card Fraud Schemes Continue

The ‘gift card scam’ has not gone away with the end of the holiday season.

Maryland State Police at the Princess Anne Barrack have reported an increase in the scheme, which mainly targets elderly residents. The perpetrator tries to convince the person to pay off a bill, resolve a tech support issue or help a family member by buying gift cards and providing the PIN numbers.

The scammers reportedly favor certain brands of gift cards, and preferences may change over time.

State Police say a gift card should never be used to pay a tax bill, make a payment to Social Security, to keep utilities on or to help a family member who more than likely is in no trouble at all.

Anyone who encounters such a scam is asked to report it to local authorities.