East Lansdowne Police Warn of 'Phantom Hacker' Gift Card Scam
Scammers posing as banks, government agencies or law enforcement urge victims to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or wire transfers; police say it’s a scam.
East Lansdowne Police warn of a growing “Phantom Hacker Scam” in which callers, emails or texts claim to be from government agencies, banks, tech companies or law enforcement and say your account or computer is compromised. Scammers pressure victims to move money, buy gift cards, or pay with cryptocurrency or wires — no legitimate agency will ask for payment by gift card. Police advise hanging up, not giving personal or financial information, contacting the organization directly using a trusted number, and reporting suspected scams, especially to protect senior citizens.