WESTMINSTER, Md. — Maryland State Police helped recover $12,000 for an apparent victim of a telephone scam in Carroll County.
At about 8 a.m. Friday morning, an elderly woman arrived at the Maryland State Police Westminster Barrack to report that she believed that she had been the victim of a scam.
According to a preliminary investigation, she had been convinced to ship $12,000 in cash via FedEx to an address in Belmont, California.
The scam originated from a telephone call she had received.
Using the information the victim brought to the barrack, a trooper tracked the package and contacted the FedEx Law Enforcement Liaison in California. The package containing the $12,000 was located and pulled from delivery.
The money is being returned to the victim.
Here are some tips to protect yourself from scams:
- Do not give out your personal information to someone you do not know.
- Store personal information in a safe place.
- Do not carry your social security card in your wallet.
- Collect mail every day and put a hold on it during extended travel.
- Use security features on your smartphone and computer.
- Use complex passwords.
- Do not use gift cards to pay the IRS or Social Security, tech support, a family member in trouble, ransom or to avoid arrest or deportation or to prevent your utilities from being turned off.
- Trust your instincts. If you think it might be a scam, it probably is one.
The case is still under investigation.
