Kamloops woman scammed out of $12,000 in intricate phone fraud

KAMLOOPS — RCMP say a Kamloops woman has been bilked out of $12,000 in an elaborate phone scam.

According to a news release from Sgt. Darren Michels, the woman phoned the local detachment on Monday (Dec. 14), describing what had happened.

Series of events:

• Victim receives phone call from “representative of major credit card company”
• Caller requests victim’s help catching bank employees accused of giving out personal information
• Caller tells victim she is also under investigation for fraud
• Victim speaks to several different “representatives of credit card company”
• Victim is advised not to call her bank — “They might be in on it.”
• Caller gives victim verification code
• Victim receives call from “manager of one of the big banks” and is asked to provide verification code
• Caller provides victim details of recent credit card purchases and asks for personal banking security questions
• Caller asks victim to purchase several gift cards on her credit card
• Caller instructs victim to read him the gift card codes