Scam alert. MWC file photo.
MERRILL, WI (WSAU) — Authorities in Lincoln County have reported more telephone scams that cost residents thousands of dollars last week.
One woman lost $1,000 when someone called her claiming to be from Amazon, saying someone had placed an order using her account and payment information. The caller offered to track the order to find the alleged perpetrator in exchange for a $500 gift card. The woman purchased an Amazon card at a local retailer and turned the numbers over to the caller, who then insisted that the card was defective.
The woman then purchased another $500 card for the caller, who took those numbers. The woman then realized she’d fallen victim to a scam.
Also, a Pine River man lost $1,700 attempting to buy a John Deer Gator lawn tractor on eBay from a woman in Wyoming. The man had negotiated a $2,000 price with the seller, who told him she would soon be deployed by the Military.
The seller asked for payment in $500 increments via gift cards, which the man provided. He then realized there was no tractor for sale and the seller was a scammer.
eBay was able to return $300 to the man, but the rest is likely lost.
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