An “astute bank employee and a quick response from police” on June 13 prevented an elderly man from losing $20,000 to a scammer, the Eden Prairie Police Department (EPPD) reported Thursday on its blog.
According to the blog, the man was contacted by an individual posing as a Microsoft employee, who instructed him to withdraw $20,000 from his bank account to receive a supposed refund. After some transactions, the scammer claimed an overpayment and asked the victim to repay the company. The scammer then directed the man to call once he had the money, promising to collect it from his home.
The bank employee assisting the man recognized the potential scam and contacted the police. Officers arrived promptly and persuaded the man not to hand over his money. When investigators called the scammer’s number, the scammer disconnected the call and inactivated the number.
While the victim in this case did not lose any money, the blog stated that every year victims in Eden Prairie and across the U.S. are duped into believing scammers’ convincing pitches to part with their money.
“Scammers can be very persuasive and use tactics that prey on people’s fears and vulnerabilities,” the blog stated. “They spoof caller ID numbers, email addresses and names to appear legitimate and make threats that sound credible. The perpetrator may impersonate the IRS, a police department, the Social Security Administration, a bank, a utility company or a grandchild in trouble.”
If residents receive a call or email that seems like a scam, police advise them to hang up immediately or delete the message, and to avoid sending money or gift cards.
While the department investigates all scam reports, these cases are often difficult to solve due to the anonymity and international location of the perpetrators.
“The phone numbers and email addresses used to perpetrate the scams are quickly disconnected or are associated with throwaway phones that cannot be traced,” the blog stated. “Once thieves receive the money, it is spent immediately before victims have a chance to realize what happened.”
Victims of scams should contact the Eden Prairie Police Department at 952-949-6200.
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