Crime & Safety
Troy Woman, 75, Loses $35K In PayPal Scam: Police
A 75-year-old Troy woman was scammed out of $35,000 last week, according to police.
TROY, MI — A 75-year-old Troy woman was scammed out of $35,000 last week, according to police.
The woman told officers she received an email from someone claiming to be from PayPal, who told her to call a number regarding an overpayment, according to police.
When she called, she was told that she had accidentally been issued a refund of $36,919 instead of $369.19, and demanded the money back, according to police.
Find out what's happening in Troyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The woman sent $3,000 in Apple gift cards, $900 in Bitcoin, and a cashier's check for $32,000 before realizing it was a scam, according to police.
She is working with her bank to try and stop the cashier's check, according to police.
Find out what's happening in Troyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Police reminded people that no government agency or legitimate business will ever:
- Threaten you
- Demand immediate payment
- Require payment by gift card or pre-paid debit card
- Require payment by Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency
- Require a cash withdrawal
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