Con Artist Convinces Avon Lake Woman to Buy $77,000 in iTunes Gift Cards

AVON LAKE, OH - Con artists and scammers will frequently get unsuspecting people to pay for things using gift cards. Why? They're difficult for law enforcement to trace. That's why you so often hear of people being told their loved one is in jail in Florida and to bail them out...send gift cards.

When someone asks you to send gift cards, you can almost always assume it's a scam. Before you take any action related to sending someone money, particularly in that medium, you should consult friends, family, or even law enforcement.

An Avon Lake woman is finding that out the hard way, after she purchased more than $77,000 in iTunes gift cards on the advice of a Facebook friend. That and other incidents below.

Fraud, Dec. 31 - An Avon Lake man came to the police station to report that someone had fraudulently used his identity to open a Best Buy Visa Card account.

Suspicious Activity, Jan. 3 - A Walker Road business reported fraudulent activity in their name. Police were able to resolve the matter.

Suspicious Activity, Jan. 3 - Three packages have been delivered to a Somerset Lane woman's house. She did not order any of the packages.

Death Investigation, Jan. 4 - Police found an 83-year-old man dead inside his James Circle home. The man's body was released to Busch Funeral Home.

Theft, Jan. 4 - An Avon Lake woman's new friend on Facebook duped her into purchasing more than $77,000 in iTunes gift cards. The woman contacted all of the credit card companies involved in the purchases, as well as Attorney General Mike DeWine's office.

Traffic Complaint, Jan. 4 - Officers saw a vehicle going west on Avondale Road, doing 45 mph in a 25 mph zone. Officers stopped the driver and discovered she was driving with a suspended license, due to OVI. The driver was given a court date in Avon Lake Municipal Court.

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