Scams Cost Elderly Adults In Indiana County Hundreds To Thousands Of Dollars

By: KDKA-TV News Staff

INDIANA, Pa. (KDKA) -- Pennsylvania State Police in Indiana County are warning people of an ongoing scam that has been costly for several residents.

Most of the scams involve the scammer asking the victims to pay for gift cards for services like Google Play. The scammer then requests the gift card number and PIN after the person has bought the gift card.

Police also mentioned there was one incident where a victim received an email about a Bitcoin transaction and included a number to call with any questions. The scammer then told the person on the phone to give their IP address, and the scammer stole money from the victim's bank accounts remotely.

Police say that the losses have ranged from a few hundred dollars to around $7,000. Most of the people affected by the scams have ranged from 60 to 80 years of age.

Police are asking people to ignore any suspicious forms of communication, including by text, phone call, or email, and to call a family member or law enforcement agency to verify its legitimacy.

More information about common scams and how to educate your loved ones can be found here.