Crime & Safety
Bad Advice From Friends Leads Woman to Fall for Scam
The Green Dot MoneyPak cards scam cost the woman $490.
A 67-year-old Winder woman thought she was getting a good deal on her cable bill, but learned too late that she had been scammed.
The woman contacted Winder Police on Dec. 6 after realizing what had happened. According to the woman, she received a phone call on Oct. 29 during which the caller claimed to be conducting a special promotion for Comcast. The caller informed the woman she could cut her cable bill in half by using Green Dot MoneyPak cards to pay her cable bill. The woman told the caller she would need to think about it and call back.
"[The Winder woman] stated she consulted her friends who all told her it was a good deal and she needed to take the promotion," the officer wrote in the incident report.
On Oct. 31, the woman called to accept the offer.
"[The Winder woman] stated the person on the phone was very helpful and had reference numbers, employee numbers and sounded legit," the report stated.
The woman was instructed to buy a Green Dot MoneyPak card in the amount of $375 and call back with the authorization number. The woman did so.
On Nov. 5, the woman was instructed to purchase a Green Dot MoneyPak card in the amount of $115. Once again, the woman followed the instructions.
On Dec. 4, she received a cable bill from Comcast in the amount of $342.21. Upon calling Comcast, the woman learned no payments had been made on her behalf and that the Green Dot deal was a scam.
The woman said she subsequently contacted the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of Consumer Protection, and the Federal Trade Commission to file reports.
Green Dot offers several tips on how to protect yourself from individuals who use Green Dot MoneyPak cards as part of a scam.
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