LAFAYETTE,La. (KLFY)– If a friend asks for a favor, you typically help out, but it might be time to rethink that after this latest scam. You receive an email that appears to be a friend or even family member, and that’s when the scam starts.
“Scammers love to impersonate people or organizations that we know trust leading us to not ask a lot of questions,”says Chris Babin of BBB of Acadiana.
The emails seem pretty convincing and harmless, but are not actually from people you know.
“They’re basically telling their friend that they’re out of town. They don’t have access to gift cards, but they need to be able to purchase one for one reason or another. One of the examples was it was their nieces’ birthday and they wanted them to purchase a gift card, give them all the information on it and that they’d pay them back later.”
Babin advises that you take a moment to text that friend or message them on social media if you think they emailed you before sending any personal information. These are more trustworthy ways of communication.
Tips to avoid this friendly email scam:
- Reach out to your friend directly.
- If you get an unusual request, call or text to confirm the story.
- Always double check before sending money.
- Use gift cards wisely. Never do business with anyone who insists on payment with gift cards.
If you have a scam you’d like me to investigate, feel free to send an email to smasters@klfy.com.