VILLA RICA, Ga. — The Villa Rica Police Department is warning residents about a sophisticated banking scheme that has already cost victims thousands of dollars.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Police say criminals are becoming increasingly creative in exploiting people’s trust, often posing as representatives of financial institutions to gain access to personal and banking information.
In the most recent case, a Villa Rica woman received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the fraud department of a local bank and told her there was suspicious activity on her account.
While keeping her on the phone, the caller began sending her text messages containing “verification codes,” instructing her to read them aloud. According to police, money was being transferred out of her account without her knowledge.
Police say the woman was told to withdraw $3,700 in cash from her bank and provide it to an “investigator” who would allegedly scan the money for fingerprints as part of an internal fraud investigation.
TRENDING STORIES:
- 10 pounds of meth discovered during north Georgia traffic stop, deputies say
- $1.2 billion tax rebate, $850 million in property tax relief approved in state budget
- After 17 arrests at The Battery, police brace for new ‘takeover’ at Cumberland Mall
Following the caller’s instructions and remaining on the phone the entire time the woman withdrew the cash, placed it inside a taped box, and delivered it to a person posing as a “fraud detective” in the parking lot of the Walmart in Villa Rica.
Police say the suspect took the money and told the victim someone would follow up with her. That contact never came.
“There are all types of scams out there and we have people report them daily, all of which lead to thousands of dollars unnecessarily lost to victims,” Villa Rica Police Chief Michael Mansour said.
Chief Mansour offered a simple rule of thumb for residents:
Do not provide personal or banking information to anyone who calls or texts you unexpectedly. If something feels suspicious, hang up and contact your bank directly using the number listed on your card or the institution’s official website.
“Banks will never ask you to meet them in a random parking lot to provide them with cash,” Mansour said.
If you believe you may have been a victim, contact the police immediately.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]