CHARLES CITY – Police in Charles City say an online scam hoodwinked a resident out of nearly $40,000.
The Charles City police department took a report on February 12, 2025, from a resident in the 1000 block of Court Street. The report indicates that a resident there was dealing with an online scammers posing as customer service representatives from financial institutions, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and employees with the Social Security Administration.
After the scam was complete, the citizens lost about $39,700.
Online scams are rampant, and citizens must be vigilant with personal data such as social security numbers, bank account numbers, and even birthdays, maiden names, places of birth, and more. Scammers use nuances in conversation to glean the data bit by bit until they can steal a person’s identity. If you are unsure who you are talking to in a phone call, hang up and get verification.