Law warns of Valdosta-Lowndes credit-card scam

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An example of a text circulating the South Georgia area. The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and the Valdosta Police Department warn residents to not respond to this scam. Note: This device’s phone number was digitally removed from the photograph to protect the owner. Paul Leavy

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January 11, 2012

Dawn Castro The Valdosta Daily Times The Valdosta Daily Times Wed Jan 11, 2012, 08:35 PM EST

VALDOSTA — The Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a scam that has caused some panic for credit-card users in the area.

Lowndes County Capt. Wanda Edwards told The Times Wednesday that numerous complaints and concerns have been directed to Georgia Power Federal Credit Union and Southern Pine Credit Union at the paper mill.

Edwards said customers claim they have received text messages which advise them that their credit union credit card has been deactivated. The text provides a local phone number for the customer to call. A voice recording tells the customer to put in his or her 16-digit credit-card account number, the month and year of the expiration and the pin number before creating a new pin, in order to reactivate the card.

The captain said the phone number is not a local one. The scammers are using a Magic Jack device that allows a phone number to be created through the Internet.

She said the known device is by a legitimate service company, but criminals are using it to conduct credit-card scams. Two complainants who directly contacted The Times stated they are not even customers of Georgia Power, but they, too, have received the message.

Edwards warns credit-card holders to never supply the card’s information or personal information to anyone other than the company’s representing agent, by phone or in person. She also said if these text messages are received, do not respond. The sheriff’s office is currently working to try and track the numbers that are being utilized.

The Valdosta Police Department has issued a similar warning. The VPD advises anyone receiving such a text message to ignore it and not answer it.

A report of the incident can be made directly to the consumer’s credit-card company or by calling Lowndes County Sheriff’s Detective Howard Fisher at (229) 671-2981.

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Law warns of Valdosta-Lowndes credit-card scam

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