Des Moines police get money card scam complaints

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Police says more Des Moines residents and businesses are being targeted by scams that involve money card payments.

The Des Moines Register says authorities have received reports of several such fraud attempts.

A caller who claims to be with a business, utility or law enforcement calls and claims that the victim is behind on a payment and will face loss of services or legal consequences if they don’t pay immediately. The caller tells the victim to purchase a money card and call back with the card number.

In recent months, officials have taken reports where callers claimed to be from MidAmerican Energy, the IRS and a law enforcement official that arrested the victim’s family member. Suspects can sometimes create a fake caller ID to make the call appear legitimate.