Texting scam reported

The Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a new, but familiar, phone scam — this time coming in the form of a text — that was recently reported on Cudjoe Key.

A woman on Cudjoe Key said she received a text message from someone falsely claiming to be Father Jets Medina of St. Peter Catholic Church on Big Pine Key. The scammer stated in the text that he needed iTune gift cards for patients battling cancer in the hospital. The woman bought three, $100 gift cards. The scammer then asked her to scratch the back  of the card to reveal the PIN number, take a picture of the number and send him the pictures. Note: A PIN is an identifying number allocated by a bank or similar organization used to validate electronic transactions.

Thankfully, the woman found out from the real Father Jets — whom she knows — that the text was a scam before she lost any money.

ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK WITH ACTUAL BUSINESSES, POLICE, UTILTIES, INSURERS — ANYONE — WHEN SENDING MONEY, PARICULARLY WHEN YOU ARE REACHED BY PHONE!

Anyone with information about any crimes should contact the Sheriff’s Office at 305-292-7000. Callers who wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-866-471-8477. Tipsters can remain anonymous and if a tip leads to an arrest in the case, the caller may be eligible for a cash reward. Tips may also be submitted online at www.floridakeyscrimestoppers.com or via a text message using the smartphone app called P3 Phone. Tips can also be submitted via social media such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter using the @CrimeStoppers305 hashtag.

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