Beware of Walmart gift card scam targeting the elderly

Beware of a scam that targets the elderly and involves the use of Walmart gift cards.

That’s the message from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation, which said Wednesday it is investigating a scam that has apparently preyed upon at least three residents in the Alabama counties of Etowah, Jackson and Washington.

The state bureau said victims have been collectively taken for $13,000 after a caller posing as a grandson said they were in financial trouble and needed help, then asked for money via Walmart gift cards. The bureau did not say how the victims got the cards or cash to the fraudsters. Walmart stores do operate money centers in which funds can be sent to other parties for pickup at other Walmart locations.

Alabama authorities ask that everyone be on guard for this potential scam — be it targeting themselves or perhaps elderly parents — and to notify local law enforcement if they suspect someone is attempting to separate them from their money.

Fraudulent activities also should be reported to the Better Business Bureau in your area. The agency stays abreast of scams and works to get the word out to the public about them with its own alerts.

This story was originally published January 18, 2017 at 12:50 PM with the headline "Beware of Walmart gift card scam targeting the elderly."