3 days ago
Sheriff's office warns of ‘ghost tap' scam targeting East Tennessee
KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) — A nationwide crime trend has hit East Tennessee, as Knox County Sheriff's Office detectives have apprehended more than 10 individuals taking part in a 'ghost tap' scam.
The sheriff's office issued a release on the scam Saturday morning. Scammers load stolen credit card information onto a digital wallet and then use that to purchase gift cards, which are resold online to launder the stolen money.
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So far, detectives have apprehended more than 10 people, who they said are primarily Chinese nationals, suspected of taking part in the scam. KCSO explained that on a larger scale, the scam is resulting in financial institutions losing millions of dollars every week. The sheriff's office also shared why they think scammers may be targeting the region.
'These criminal groups are traveling from California, New York, and Texas, exploiting jurisdictions they believe won't recognize their scheme,' the sheriff's office wrote.
The best way to protect yourself from the scam is by protecting your information. KCSO said if you have gotten text messages about unpaid tolls, misdelivered packages, or account issues, it's important not to click any links in the messages or enter your information. The tactic is part of a real-time smishing (SMS phishing) scam that is used to steal personal and financial information.
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The sheriff's office also shared some other tips to protect yourself:
Never share personal or financial info via text or email with unknown senders.
Law enforcement or government agencies will never ask you to pay debts with gift cards or request private info over the phone.
Report suspicious messages immediately.
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