Lapeer, MI — A 60-year-old Lapeer woman received phone calls and texts that convinced her to provide $17,000 in gift card codes to a scammer. The calls came from three different phone numbers with the area codes 810, 202, and 210.
When the woman answered the calls, she was addressed by an unidentified male individual who claimed to be with the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigations) and threatened to have her arrested if she did not provide him with $17,000 in gift card codes. The caller claimed that he had already arrested her ex-husband and ex-uncle.
The victim also received a text message from the 210 area code phone number with a picture of an FBI identification card and badge. She was convinced to purchase gift cards from various stores in multiple different towns, photograph the codes, and send them to the caller.
Lapeer County Sheriff’s Deputies are actively investigating this case, and want to remind the public that law enforcement will never contact individuals demanding money or payment in the form of gift cards.
Reporting for WGRT – Jessie Wiegand
