State officials are alerting the public to an alarming scam popping up during the holiday season. Scammers are calling people and telling them a loved one is in jail or they are facing an arrest warrant, and it can be cleared with prepaid cards.
Criminals often pressure people to buy gift cards to resolve the issue. These schemes typically target the elderly and begin with a call, text, or email that claims immediate payment is required to avoid arrest or legal action.
Steve McClain is with the Kentucky Retail Association. He said that is just not how official channels operate.
“If anyone is calling to say you've missed jury duty, that's a scam. If someone calls and says so-and-so's in jail, you need to pay their bond with gift cards, that's just not how it works,” he said.
McClain said during holiday shopping, people may notice that gift cards may look a little different.
“What folks might see this year is different packaging on their gift cards. It may be that when you go to check out, the cashier may say, “I need to open the packaging on the card in order to scan it,” McClain said. That is for the protection of the gift card, and nothing to be alarmed about.”
According to data cited by the federation, gift cards remain one of the most common holiday purchases, and shoppers are expected to spend an average of $171 per person on them. The federation also reports that 43 percent of shoppers plan to buy gift cards this year.
