Derry Township woman loses $247,000 in text-message gift-card scam

Pennsylvania State Police say a 69-year-old Derry Township resident reported a theft by deception after receiving text messages instructing her to buy gift cards and send the codes to the actors. Between January 2023 and June 2026 she purchased and sent codes for 507 Apple gift cards, 190 Foot Locker cards and 126 Razor Gold credits, plus cards from big-box stores, losing about $247,000. The contact numbers are no longer active, no arrests have been made, and authorities urge anyone targeted to report suspicious activity and never pay with gift cards, wire transfers, green dot cards or cryptocurrency.