Penndel Woman Caught In Gift Card Scam: Police

PENNDEL, PA — Police in Penndel are warning the public to be wary after a woman reported being caught up in a gift-card scam.

The woman, who lives on Bellevue Avenue, called police on Oct. 10 to report that she'd been contacted by an unknown person. That person, she told police, offered her "a large sum of money," but said she'd need to pay a processing fee to receive it.

She was told that the fee is $150 and that it could be paid with Amazon gift cards. According to police, the woman bought the cards and provided their PIN numbers to the callers. A few days later, they contacted her again and said that more cards needed to be purchased, police said.

That's when the woman realized it was a scam. She didn't buy any more gift cards and contacted Penndel Police. Police advised her to check with her bank to make sure no other personal information had been compromised.

"The Penndel Borough Police Department would like to remind residents that these calls are scams to get money or personal info and the money generally can't be tracked or returned after it's been sent over the phone or internet," the agency said in a news release. "Do not purchase cards or provide personal or banking information to these callers."

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