The Dalton Police Department is investigating reports of an email gift card fraud scheme where the scammer is claiming to be Dalton Mayor David Pennington. The scheme seeks to rip off $1,000 in prepaid gift cards.
The scam email was sent to at least one member of Dalton’s city council this week. The email instructs the potential victim to buy five $200 “Apply EBay” gift cards for a total of $1,000. The email states that the cards are to be kept secret because they will be gifts for the other members of the city council. The email further states that the victim should buy the gift cards and then sent their personal cell phone number for text messages “because this is confidential and faster communication.” Had the council member fallen for the scam, the scammer would likely have had the victim send the gift card numbers via text and then pocketed the funds on the cards. The email came from a Gmail account, “councilmembers091@gmail.com.”
This type of email or text message fraud is not uncommon. The public should be aware that if they get emails from anyone claiming to be Mayor Pennington or any other public officials from free email accounts like Gmail instructing them to purchase prepaid gift cards, it is a scam. Do not respond and do not follow the instructions. Scammers and thieves like to use prepaid gift cards because they are difficult to trace.