Residents of Lawrence County are being warned about a recent incident of fraud that took place over the weekend. A local individual received an alarming email indicating that a purchase of $1,000 had been made from his usual bank account. Following the instructions provided in the email, the individual took steps to report the transaction as fraudulent.
The perpetrators, posing as PayPal representatives, falsely claimed that they had processed a refund of $50,000 back into the victim’s account. They then asserted that this refund was an error, and that the correct amount should have been only $500. The scammers threatened the individual with a hefty fine of $12,000 if the supposed overpayment was not returned. In a moment of panic, the victim provided his account details to rectify what he believed was a mistake.
It was only after reviewing his bank account that the individual realized he had fallen victim to a scam, discovering that a total of $20,000 had been stolen from him. In response to this alarming situation, he took immediate action to close his bank account in an effort to protect any remaining funds. Additionally, he was advised to contact PayPal directly to seek a refund for the lost money.
This incident serves as a crucial reminder for everyone to remain vigilant against similar scams and fraudulent activities.