**SCAM**
Below is a report of a scam within Catawissa Borough. The Catawissa Borough Police Department would like to remind everyone to never answer unknown phone numbers or emails or click links in emails from unknown senders. Police Departments, banks, and other Financial Institutes would not call and have you purchase gift cards.
If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from The Catawissa Borough Police Department, and it seems suspicious hang-up and call the station at 570-356-7102 or the non-emergency number 570-784-6300. We would never ask for our residents to purchase gift cards.
Never give out any of your personal information, debit/credit card numbers, bank account information, home address, etc. to unknown callers. If something seems suspicious, hang-up.
On June 18, 2022, The Catawissa Borough Police Department received a report for a resident being scammed out of $35,000 dollars. The victim stated that yesterday morning she was checking her emails from her home computer, and saw a "Security Message" appear on her computer screen telling her to contact "Microsoft" at 1-845-237-5714.
The victim called the above number and spoke to a person who told her that her computer was hacked. The victim was transferred to another person/scammer who pretended to be from Bank of America. They told her that her Mastercard was charged $9,000 and her Visa Card was charged $18,000 to a website called "Porn Hub" for Child Pornography. This was all part of a scam.
The victim was told that in order to stop the charges, she must match that amount by purchasing gift cards. The victim was instructed to purchase the gift cards from Lowe's in Buckhorn. The victim was told that her house phone and cell phone were being monitored and that she was not allowed to call anyone else or hang up the phone. The victim drove to Lowe's and purchased one (1) gift card in the amount of $1,000 dollars with her Mastercard. Lowes warned her of a possible scam and would not allow her to buy anymore cards.
The victim then went back to her car where she was told to leave her cell phone with the caller still on the line, to wait for her to return. The victim stated to the scammer that she was only able to get one card so the scammer instructed her to drive to Home Depot and make up a story of why she needed the gift cards, but to not tell anyone the truth.
The victim then went to Home Depot and purchased four (4) gift cards in the amount of $2,000 each. The victim was instructed to give the scammer/caller the gift card numbers and then destroy the gift cards and her receipts, which she did. The victim was then instructed to go back into Home Depot to another register and purchase nine (9) more gift cards for $2,000 dollars each. The victim complied with the scammer.
Once home, the victim, was later contacted by the scammer again. The victim was told that her Service First Debit Card was compromised and that she needed to purchase more gift cards to correct the problem. The victim spoke to her sister, who thought it didn't seem right, but they both then drove to JC Penny, where the victim was told to purchase eight (8) more gift cards for $1,000 dollars each.
The scammer/caller tried to contact the victim again from 1-805-429-0662 this morning, but she did not answer and later her and her sister came to the Catawissa Police Station to report the theft.
There are pamphlets on scams available at the Catawissa Borough Police Department lobby at 118 North Third Street Catawissa, PA 17820.
If you have any information regarding this incidents or any other incident, contact the Catawissa Borough Police Department at 570-356-7102, or the non-emergency number at 570-784-6300
