JOHNS CREEK, Ga. — Johns Creek police are issuing a warning to the public to be aware of scammers after an elderly woman said she was scammed out of nearly $50,000.
According to police, the woman was doing a crossword puzzle online when a pop-up ad told her a problem occurred and she needed to call a number.
She then received a call from someone with a spoofed caller ID that was appearing to be from Bank of America.
The scammer then told the woman that “she had too much money” in her account and needed to transfer $47,8000 to a Bitcoin machine to protect it.
When the started to get suspicious and said she was going to call the police, she received a call from someone pretending to be Cpt. Deb Coble with the Johns Creek Police Department.
The woman was then asked to withdraw an additional $10,000. When nobody one showed up to collect the money, she went to the police station and reported it as a scam.
Police are issuing a reminder to the public to avoid sending money to people you do not know and to be aware of such scams.
“These criminals prey on fear and urgency, take a moment to stop and think,” the Johns Creek Police Department said. “Please, talk to your elderly parents, grandparents, and neighbors about scams like this. Awareness is key to prevention.”
If you suspect a scam or are unsure of what to do, call 9-1-1.
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