The Storm Lake Police Department issued a warning this (Friday) afternoon concerning a new scam that has been reported recently in the region. Victims tell law enforcement that they received an email that appeared to have originated from an authority figure in their company such as a manager or supervisor. The scammer then requests the employee purchase gift cards for the company and provide the numbers from the back of them. This follows a common pattern used by scammers, but authorities say it still catches many people by surprise. To reduce the risk of falling victim to these ploys, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends people be suspicious of any unsolicited contact that requests personal information or seeks payment in an unusual manner, such as gift cards or pre-paid debit cards.
