A man is out thousands of dollars after falling victim to a scam. On Tuesday, August 31st, police spoke with a 72 year old man who said Boston Police showed up on his caller ID. They said he and his wife’s identities had been stolen and their names were being used to fraudulently fund terrorist organizations. They asked for $11,360 in gift cards for fees to clear his name. He questioned the payment and then received a call that looked like it was coming from the Lincoln Police Department. That caller said the claim was legitimate and they were assisting Boston Police. The victim sent the gift cards.
He received another call saying an arrest had been made in the case but they needed $16,095 to cover court fees. The man went to Cornhusker Bank and wired the money to Turkey. An employee questioned the transfer and tried to stop the payment. It isn’t known if that was successful.
As of now, the victim lost $27,455. The investigation continues.
This is a reminder that law enforcement and government agencies will not ask for payment by gift cards. If you receive a call from an individual claiming to be with law enforcement who is requesting payment in any fashion you should hang up immediately. Additionally, you can call the Lincoln Police Department at 402-441-6000 to make a report about the suspicious phone call and/or verify the validity of any call made from law enforcement personnel.