OCEAN CITY — The Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) is warning local residents and business owners about a scam, or “phishing” scheme, using email to solicit donations.
According to the OCPD, in the scheme, the initial email appears to come from an individual in a management-type position within a private organization, directing the recipient to purchase gift cards and provide the scammer with the information on the gift cards. The fraudulent email addresses the recipient by name and gives specific directions on the steps that should be taken to conclude the process.
For example, the fraudulent email might provide directions such as “after the purchase of the cards, open and scratch the gift cards.” In other cases, the recipient is instructed to scan or take a snapshot of the back of each card and either attach it or send it to various charities or email addresses.
In some cases, the sender will provide a justification for taking photos or scanning the gift cards. In other emails, the send tells the recipient the exact amount and type of gift card to purchase. According to the OCPD, each email has different wording, but the same basic concept is consistent throughout the scam.
The fraudulent emails in almost each case has expressed a sense of urgency for completing the transaction. The emails stress time is of the essence and action is needed immediately. It’s also important to note the sending email does not appear fraudulent, but rather appears as if it is coming from a source the potential victim is familiar with, or the actual email of the individual the scammers are posing to be.
Anyone who believes they have received a fraudulent email soliciting charitable donations is urged not to reply back, which only continues the phishing scam. Instead, recipients are encouraged to disregard or delete suspicious emails and contact the OCPD or their local law enforcement agency. Short of that, recipients of suspicious emails are encouraged to contact the sender in a different way, either through another email or by phone if the sender is someone with whom they are familiar.
In a larger sense, the OCPD is advising residents scams such as the phony gift card scheme, or others become more prevalent during the holiday season and urge citizens to keep their guard up during the holidays. At all times of the year, but especially during the holidays, residents are advised to never share personal information or exchange money through emails or phone calls.
