New Phone Scam Targets Hoover Residents

HOOVER, AL — Police are warning of a new phone scam that is targeting Hoover residents. A caller claiming to be from "Hoover Emergency" gives instructions to victims to get send money to settle past debts.

Hoover police said a victim reported receiving an incoming phone call from “Hoover Emergency 205-822-5300.” The scammer claimed to be a detective, and told the potential victim “there are several fraudulent charges on your Amazon account.”

The scammer instructed the victim to go to the bank and withdraw all of the money in the account; go to Target and purchase gift cards and “government cards;" take them back home and two FBI agents would arrive the following day to take custody of the cards for safekeeping.

"Now, before everyone starts to say, 'How can anyone fall for that?,' let’s be real. While it is a fact that people of all ages can be a victim of a phone scam, the most likely ones are our seniors," Hoover police said in a statement. "They have money in the bank. They answer the phone. The scammer sounds legitimate and uses threats, intimidation, fancy words, and fear. The senior gets scared and doesn’t ask a friend or family member for a second opinion, they just want the trouble to go away."

Hoover police urge everyone to talk to family members about phone scams. "While this is just one of many phone scams out there, legitimate government business and business in general, is not done this way," police said. "Tell them if they ever get a phone call like this, hang up the phone. And, especially before withdrawing and sending money to a stranger, please call a trusted family member, neighbor, or even us, for a second opinion."