OCEAN PINES – Bottom of FormSeveral people in Ocean Pines have recently reported receiving scam emails.
In many of the emails, the sender asks the recipient for help buying gift cards to donate to a local charity. Some of the emails appear to come from Ocean Pines staff or Board members.
Police Chief Leo Ehrisman said it’s important to stay vigilant. Look at the sender’s email address. If the address is unfamiliar, call the person to verify they sent the email.
If the email is fraudulent, report it to local authorities.
“Anyone on the internet can create a fake email and claim to be somebody else,” Ehrisman said. “Never send money or gift cards without first speaking to an actual person and verifying their identity. And if something seems strange, report it.”
For the last two years, Worcester County’s Vulnerable Adult Task Force has promoted a “No-Scam November” initiative based on continued efforts to educate and raise awareness about common fraud schemes.
The campaign has targeted similar scams.
According to a release, “In Worcester County, the most common types of fraud currently experienced are gift card scams. Scammers have been targeting victims either by phone or by email, often claiming that there is an emergency situation the victim must buy gift cards to resolve. The scammer typically then requests the code on the back of the gift card so they can use it online.”
The press release continues, “The scammer may claim to be the IRS, or claim that a family member of the victim has been arrested and needs bail money. In another common scam, the victim is told that they have won a contest or prize money, but in order to collect their winnings, they must buy gift cards totaling a small portion of the total prize they will eventually be sent by the scammer.”
To combat these card scams, law enforcement is conducting community outreach efforts and providing local businesses with free signage, provided by the Office of the State’s Attorney, that can be attached to any gift card display case.
Anyone who receives a suspicious email is asked to report the matter to Ocean Pines Police at 410-641-7747 or [email protected].