Elderly Couple Almost Gets Scammed Out of $4,000 Trying To Buy Target Gift Cards

Some people have no morals. They are willing to scam anybody for a dime, and in this situation, an elderly couple for $4,000 worth of Target gift cards.

It was this past January that an elderly couple from Hanover County, Virginia, received a call from an unknown number. The person behind that unknown number had said he was a police officer and that their grandson was in jail. He explained that the only way to get their grandson out of jail was to buy Target gift cards.

According to the Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, which made a statement on Tuesday, the person posing as a police officer explained to the couple that if they wished to get their grandson out of jail, they would need to purchase two Target gift cards of $2,000 a piece.

The couple then drove to a Target store in Mechanicsville, found two gift cards and went to go pay at the register.

Their cashier Matthew Drye asked how much they wanted to put on the cards, to which they replied, “$2,000 each”
Drye inquired why they wanted gift cards with such a high amount and asked his co-worker Mariah Thomas for assistance.

After finding out from the elderly couple about the phone call and the story about their grandson in jail, they speculated that this was a scam in process.

“This simple act of kindness made the couple question their decision and they too recognized they had fallen victim to a heartless scam,” the sheriff’s office said.

The couple’s grandson was home and safe, and never was in jail.

On Tuesday, the Target workers Drye and Thomas were awarded Hanover County Sheriff’s Office Challenge Coins.
“As law enforcement officers, we can’t be in all places at all times. It warms my heart to see our citizens go above and beyond to help each other, which in turn acts as another set of eyes and ears for the Sheriff’s Office,” Col. David Hines said.

Disclaimer: We have no position in Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) and have not been compensated for this article.