DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nev. – The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) is alerting the public to be cautious of gift card theft and to assist in protecting the elderly.

According to an AARP report, the current rate of gift card theft against the elderly has climbed by 74% since the epidemic began.

To prey on the elderly, perpetrators use two main strategies:

Convincing a customer to settle a fake financial obligation by buying gift cards and revealing the back numbers

Giving customers gift cards with no monetary value

According to DCSO, the criminals persuade their victims that they must acquire a gift card or electronic voucher in order to pay bills, taxes, or other financial obligations. The scammer then requests information from the back of the card in order to get the preloaded amount.

“The first step in safeguarding our elderly population is to be aware of these sorts of frauds. Please assist us in protecting our elderly and loved ones from these criminals.”

Credits: Fox 11

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