CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – The Clarksville Police Department (CPD) has recently taken reports about some old scams that have claimed new victims.
Two people fell victim to a scam in which they attempted to purchase puppies online. They both sent money to a specified person and address. In one case, the 56-year-old male victim sent a money order to a person in Pennsylvania and in the other situation the 77-year-old female victim sent money to a person in Chicago.
After the money was sent for the puppies, the victims were contacted and told they needed to send additional money for shipping costs. The female victim determined it was a scam and did not send the money. The male sent money for shipping costs and was contacted again saying more money was needed for insurance on the puppies. He declined and said he wanted his money back but it was too late.
The female was scammed out of $750 and the male was scammed out of $1,792.
In another scam, the 49-year-old female victim responded to a secret shopper ad online and contacted the company. She was sent a check for $1,300 and was told to deposit it. She was then instructed by the scammer to purchase a $50 item, two $500 gift cards, and keep the $250 difference for making the purchase. She followed the instructions and sent the gift card activation numbers. The check was no good, so the victim was responsible for the bad check deposit.
“Consumers beware and do your homework before entering into transactions, no matter how good it sounds,” CPD spokesman Jim Knoll said. “There are many sources to consult such as Better Business Bureau and, in many cases, the scams are well identified and documented through internet blogs or inquiries. There is no need to file a police report unless there is an actual monetary loss associated with the scam. You can go online and report the scams through the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice, just to name a few.”