Nassau County Sheriff’s Office deputies stopped a Florida resident at a retail parking lot on Thursday, preventing him from handing over $14,000 to phone scammers. The intervention took place at a Lowe’s home improvement store on State Road 200 after the man’s wife overheard a suspicious phone call at their home. Worried by the pressure being put on her husband, she immediately contacted local law enforcement. Deputies arrived in the area and found the man sitting in his vehicle, preparing to follow the caller’s instructions to buy thousands of dollars in gift cards.
The scammer had told the victim to purchase $14,000 worth of gift cards within two hours, according to a public report by local news outlet Action News Jax. People in Nassau County who have experienced attempted or completed fraud can contact the Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line at 904-225-5174. Fraud can also be reported to the Federal Trade Commission through its online portal at reportfraud.ftc.gov or to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
The caller warned that failing to meet the deadline would result in the man’s personal accounts being hacked and compromised. Deputies reached the resident in the parking lot before he could enter the store or give the gift card codes to the scammer. Officers spoke with him, calmed the situation and explained how the caller was trying to trick him. The intervention protected the man’s money and stopped any payment from being made. Deputies warned residents to look out for several common pressure tactics: Police advise anyone who receives a suspicious payment request to end the call immediately. Residents should then contact their local police department or the relevant agency using an official phone number to check whether the claim is genuine. The Nassau County Sheriff’s Office is urging residents to take extra care when receiving unexpected phone calls, text messages or emails. Police advise people not to click links in unverified messages or provide personal information over the phone. Officials also point out that government agencies handle formal legal matters and bond payments through established procedures, not through unexpected phone calls or retail gift cards. Older adults who are dealing with financial exploitation can also seek help through the National Elder Fraud Hotline.