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A retired couple in Florida lost $2,000 in a scam that involved a fake Spectrum-Target discount scheme. The couple received an email that appeared to be from their cable company, Spectrum, and offered a discount on their cable bill if they paid with Target gift cards. The couple purchased the gift cards and sent them to the scammers, but they never received the promised discount. Their total losses exceeded the initial amount requested by the scammers after the scammers claimed multiple times that the gift cards “weren’t working” and insisted that the couple purchase additional cards.
As with all utilities, Spectrum has confirmed that they never ask for gift cards as a form of payment. They encourage customers to be wary of any emails or phone calls that request personal information or payment.
Here are some tips to avoid being scammed:
- Be suspicious of any emails or phone calls that request personal information or payment.
- Never give out your personal information to someone you don’t know and trust.
- Verify the legitimacy of any offer before responding.
- If you are unsure about something, contact the company directly.
What to do if you think you’ve been scammed:
- Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
- Contact your bank or credit card company to report the fraudulent charges.
- Change your passwords for any accounts that may have been compromised.
We hope this info helps our avoid scams like this in the future! Follow SilverWatch Academy on social media, YouTube and our newsletter to stay on top of scam attempts.