The Villager Newspaper Online Your Community News – Cleveland's Westshore
Fraudsters are still victimizing local residents with gift card scams and other nefarious schemes of dishonesty.
In Westlake, on 2/4/20 at approx. 11am WPD received a report of a fraud. The victim responded to the station to report that she had received an email advertising that she was eligible for a loan from Ace Cash Express out of Riverside California. The citizen also received a phone call referencing the loan offer. 
The victim decided to pursue the offer but the “lender” asked for a $500 fee to begin the process.
When the victim balked at the price, the perpetrator agreed to transfer cash into her checking account which she would have to repay using Walmart Gift Cards.
The victim completed the transaction by sending photos of the gift cards.
Only then did she find out that the money routed to her account was not valid. She confirmed with the Better Business Bureau that the Cash Express company was not real.
***This is a reminder that no legitimate business, private company or government entity, will ask for payment in gift cards. DO NOT PAY in gift cards for tax debts, warrants, loans, or to get your computer unlocked or updated. If your boss asks via email or text message for you to buy and send gift card images electronically, it is more than likely it is a scam. Check out any requests before being victimized!**
In Bay Village, on January 30, 2020 at 9:52am, a Lake Forest Drive resident arrived at the Bay Village Police Department to report that he was the victim of a fraud. 
The male reported that he was scammed online for $3000 dollars. The male reported that he was contacted online and was offered a large amount of gold to be shipped to his residence if he were to pay shipping and fees to have it sent to him. The male was convinced it was legitimate due to the routing and shipping numbers included. Bay Village Detectives are investigating.
Bay Village Police would like to remind individuals that if an offer appears to be “too good to be true” it is likely a scam. Further, if someone is a victim of these types of scams they are likely going to be be targeted again and again by criminal organizations. If you are unsure about a potential deal, contact a trusted party or call local police for assistance.
