Crime & Safety

Police Warn South Shore Elders of 'Walgreens Green Dot Scam'

Police say once the scammers have a newly purchased Green Dot card number and the PIN, they can instantly steal their victim's money.

Police are warning South Shore senior citizens about an attempted phone scam after an elderly South Hingham resident was nearly the victim of one on Wednesday.

Hinham police say the resident was the target of what is known to police as the  the "Green Dot Scam" or "Walgreens Green Dot Scam." The Green Dot refers to the company name on prepaid debit/credit cards that are for sale at numerous stores, including Walgreens. 

On Wednesday morning, the 87-year-old resident received a call from the number (876) 281-2287, telling he had won a car and it would be delivered today to his house as long as he bought a Green Dot card for $150 and provided the Green Dot card information over the phone.  The scammer suggested he buy the card at the Walgreens in Weymouth and promised the resident that he would be refunded the money when he received the delivered vehicle.

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According to police, once the scammers have the newly purchased card number and the PIN, they instantly transfer the $150 to a card of their own and the cash is lost before they can even hang up the phone.

“Fortunately, in this case, the resident had not purchased the card so he was not able to give out the card number and the PIN,” Hingham Police said in an alert email to residents.

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An officer called the alleged scammer and spoke to a man who said his name was "Michael" and said he was in Norwood.

During the conversation, several phones could be heard ringing and conversations could be heard in the background, police said. The man asked who the officer were calling about, and when told it was the police, he hung up. 


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