ALCOA, Tenn. — The Alcoa Police Department is warning people about phone scams after seeing several cases that mostly target elderly people, officials said.
They said that callers will tell victims to buy gift cards in order to pay taxes on lottery winnings, fix computer hacks or make other kinds of payments. The Federal Trade Commission said scammers usually demand gift cards since they function like cash.
The FTC also said callers can call impersonating officers or representatives from the IRS, saying that victims need to make payments with gift cards. Once a person spends their money on a gift card and gives it to a scammer, it's not likely they will get their money back.
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Alcoa Police reminded people that no legitimate company or government agency requests people to make payments with gift cards. They also said people should contact their local police agencies if they receive one of these calls.
The Alcoa Police Department can be reached at (865) 981-4111, and more information about the department can be found online.
