Scam Artists Rip Off 3 Westlake Residents

WESTLAKE, OH — Three Westlake residents were targeted by scam artists last week, police announced. A department spokesperson issued a warning to the public, saying fraudsters are posing as US Marshals and asking residents for their social security numbers.

"Do not give out personal info on an unsolicited phone call or email," Westlake police said on social media. "Government agencies will not contact you and ask for your bank account or social security number information. Do not pay for warrants with gift cards. This is always a scam."

On March 2, a Westlake resident reported that someone used their Amazon account to buy a Nintendo Switch. The purchased was traced to Glen Allen, Virginia. The same compromised Amazon account was nearly used by someone in Ohio to buy a scooter, police said.

The resident was able to close her Amazon account and reported the incident to the company.

On March 4, someone calling themselves "Jordan Wilson" contacted a Westlake resident and told her that her computer had a compromising virus. The scam artist convinced the resident to buy $5,000 in gift cards to pay for computer services. Police said the resident will lose the money they spent on the gift cards.

On March 5, someone claiming to be an agent for the US Marshals called a Westlake man and told him he had a warrant for his arrest in Texas. The warrant accused the resident of drug trafficking.

The fake agent said to clear the man's name he would need to buy gift cards and read their identifying information to the "Marshal." The resident bought the gift cards and read them to the scam artist.