Senior becomes victim of gift card scam

A Birmingham police officer was dispatched to the 500 block of Merritt Lane after a senior resident reported being the victim of a phone scam on Tuesday, August 23.

The victim, an 85-year-old woman, told police she received a series of phone calls from a person claiming to be an attorney and requesting money in the form of gift cards. After purchasing the gift cards, the resident grew suspicious of the caller and decided to contact the Birmingham police but could not remember if she had given the caller the gift card numbers.

Birmingham police advised the victim to contact the store where she purchased the gift cards to see if they have already been used, and to contact the police with the information.

An investigation into the scam is ongoing.