Salina, KS – A 76-year-old woman from Salina was scammed out of more than $16,000 after receiving a fraudulent email from someone posing as a representative of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), according to local authorities.
The scam was first reported on September 20. The victim reported she received an email claiming her checking and credit cards were involved in a money laundering scheme. The sender, pretending to be from the FTC's department of investigations, instructed her to resolve the matter by purchasing gift cards.
Despite a warning from a store clerk who recognized the potential scam, the woman followed through with the instructions. She spent $9,000 on gift cards and an additional $7,000 using credit cards, bringing her total loss to over $16,000.
Captain Feldman of the local police department wants the public to know that no government agency, including the FTC, will ever request payment via gift cards. Feldman stressed the importance of being vigilant, particularly as the holiday season approaches, when scammers often increase their efforts.