Scammer drains Kansas victim's debit card down to $6

A phone scam cost a KS resident $1,600 in Burlington.

BURLINGTON (KSNT) - A northeast Kansas police department is issuing a warning Tuesday to area residents after a phone scam resulted in a more than thousand-dollar loss for an unfortunate local.

The Burlington Police Department (BPD) took to social media on July 9 to warn locals of a recent situation that ended up costing a Burlington resident at least $1,600. The resident was the reported victim of a phone scam that took place over the course of two days.

The BPD said the victim was called by someone posing as an employee with Credit One. This scammer claimed the victim's credit card was the subject of fraudulent attempts being made by someone trying to use their card.

"The calls continued off and on for 4 ½ hours July 3 and then again for 2 ½ hours on July 4. The scammer had the victim verify their account number and personal information, including their name, date of birth and social security number."

BPD social media statement excerpt

The victim called it quits when the scammer tried to get the victim to send money to Pakistan. However, the victim found their debit card account drained down to only $6.

The BPD said people can follow several tips to avoid falling prey to a similar scam like this. Some handy tips include the following:

• Don't trust caller ID.
• Call to verify.
• Be cautious of things that don't add up.
• Don't let a caller pressure you to act immediately.
• Never give anyone your online banking credentials.

The Kansas Office of the Attorney General also offers more tips and assistance to scam victims online. You can learn more about these resources by visiting the 'In Your Corner Kansas' section on the attorney general's website.

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