CHENANGO COUNTY – Local law enforcement are urging people to protect themselves from a growing number of scam claims involving Green Dot money MoneyPak cards.

According to authorities, scams often involve imposters posing as debt collectors or family members requesting money via MoneyPak transfers. In one instance, an elderly victim was called by a stranger pretending to be her grandchild. The woman, believing she was talking to her grandchild, provided him the numeric code from a MoneyPak card which allowed the fake to obtain thousands of dollars in the card’s cash value.

Police are cautioning local residents not to fall victim. They advise people to be suspicious of callers asking for payments using a prepaid debit card, such as Green Dot MoneyPak. One of the best ways to avoid a scam, say police, is to avoid wiring money or providing the numeric code of money cards altogether. Recording the telephone number of suspected scammers and notifying the local police or sheriff’s office can also go a long way in catching a criminal.

The Chenango County Sheriff has issued seven tips on how to protect yourself from fraud. Those tips include: