Scam alert. MWC file photo.
TOWN OF SCOTT, WI (WSAU) — A Lincoln County woman dodged a financial loss last week after someone called claiming to be from her phone company to reimburse her for issues she was having with her service.
The woman allowed the caller to deposit $450 into her checking account but later realized that her balance had actually increased by $4,000. The man called back and explained the error, then asked her for gift cards to correct it.
The woman said she hung up the phone and realized she was being scammed.
After contacting her bank she realized the $4,000 had actually come in the form of a transfer from one of her other accounts and was not an outside deposit. Bank officials were able to confirm that she lost no money in the transaction.
The investigation revealed that the bank’s own security measures may have saved the woman from a financial loss. Officers say the woman also told them the request for gift cards as payment was what tipped her off to the scam.
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