Washington, Iowa — A Washington resident narrowly avoided becoming the victim of a phone scam Saturday morning after receiving a suspicious call claiming she had won a large cash prize.
The incident was reported around 10:28 a.m. from a home in the 700 block of East 2nd Street. According to the Washington Police Department, the caller was instructed to purchase a $200 gift card and provide the numbers over the phone in order to claim her supposed winnings.
The resident quickly grew suspicious and reported the incident to authorities. Officers responded and confirmed the call was part of a common scam. The number that contacted the resident had already been blocked, and she advised police that she would not be answering any future calls from the scammer and had no intention of purchasing the gift card.
No financial loss occurred, and the situation serves as a reminder to the public to be wary of unsolicited phone calls requesting personal or financial information, especially those demanding payment via gift cards.
The Washington Police Department encourages residents to report any similar incidents and to speak with elderly family members or neighbors who may be more vulnerable to these types of scams.