Georgia’s attorney general issued a warning over so-called imposter scams, cautioning people against phone calls and text messages promising things such as sweepstakes winnings and AirPods prizes.
AG Chris Carr said in a release that “consumers should be very wary of unsolicited text messages, emails and phone calls.”
One of the scams involves a fake order confirmation, with people receiving phone calls claiming to be from a big retailer such as Walmart, Costco or Target saying they’ve recently made a purchase “for a big-ticket item totaling several thousand dollars.”
The AG describes people being told they’re to expect a shipping confirmation and then an automatic charge to their credit card on file. The message asks them to call a phone number if they did not make any such transaction or wish to question or report it.
But, the way the scam goes, “if you dial the number, you will likely be asked to provide your account credentials or payment information so that your account can be ‘credited.'”
“The scammers will then use that information to steal your money or commit identity theft. This scam can also occur via email or text message,” Carr’s release said.
It cautions that you should not, under any circumstances, call a number provided in this kind of message or click on a link if sent through a similar sort of email.
“Instead, log-in to your online account with the retailer, or contact the company through a verified telephone number or website to see if, in fact, there was an unauthorized charge made to your account,” the attorney general’s release states.
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