As the holiday season approaches we ask our community to remain aware of scammers.

Unfortunately, there are numerous types of scams circulating across the nation, and here in Washington County we are not shielded from them.

Gift cards are the number one payment method that a scammer will demand. Please remember, gift cards are for gifts, not for payments. If someone calls with urgent news, claims to be from a governmental agency or has a convincing story and then pressures you to pay them by buying a gift card, like an iTunes, Moneypak or Google Play card – stop. It’s a scam.

Remember:

Never send money — especially by gift card, cash reload card, or money transfer. No government agency will threaten you or demand payment this way.

Don’t give out your personal or financial information to anyone who calls, texts, or emails.

If you sent money to a scammer, contact the company you used to send the money (gift card company, cash reload card company, or wire transfer service) and tell them it was a fraudulent transaction. Ask to have the transaction reversed if possible. Also report it to the Federal Trade Commission at FTC.gov/complaint and your local law enforcement agency.