PRESCOTT, Ariz. — Prescott Valley police are warning of a new scam targeting businesses in the community.
In this particular scam, police said the scammer calls a local business and then claims to be someone from the corporate office. They will use the name of the business's regional manager in an attempt to deceive their would-be victim.
According to police, "the suspect sets up a scenario, asking the victim to take all the money from the safe, convert it to gift cards or bitcoin, and send the suspect the numbers to access it."
Police said in these cases, the scammers are often able to get the business's employees to comply, and can successfully steal money from their target.
Most of the time the stolen money can not be recovered, according to police.
Police said more than likely, anything that is asking for a payment with a gift card or Bitcoin is a scam.
"If someone asks you to pay with these methods, this should raise a concern about the legitimacy and intention of the person you are talking to," police said.
If you have been the victim of a scammer, report it to Prescott Valley police. The department can be contacted at (928) 772-9267 for non-emergencies and 911 for emergencies. Yavapai Silent witness is 1-800-932-3232.
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Silent Witness:
Arizona's Silent Witness program allows people to send in tips and share information about crimes happening within their local communities.
The program shares unsolved felony case information in multiple ways, including TV, radio and social media.
Anyone who has information on a crime or recognizes a suspect described by the program is asked to call 480-948-6377, go to the program's website online or download the Silent Witness app to provide a tip. The identity of anyone who submits a tip is kept anonymous.
Calls to Silent Witness are answered 24/7 by a live person and submitted tips are accepted at all times. Submitted tips are then sent to the detective(s) in charge of the specific case.
Individuals who submit tips that lead to an arrest or indictment in the case can get a reward of up to $1,000.
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12News+ showcases live video throughout the day for breaking news, local news, weather and even an occasional moment of Zen showcasing breathtaking sights from across Arizona.