Crime & Safety

Lower Mac Woman Averts Gift Card Scam

Woman believes she won $2.5 million, but pulls back payment in time, police say.

The Money Pak Card Scam recently reared its ugly head again.

But, this time, the near-victim was able to stop it in time.

A Lower Macungie Township woman no doubt was delighted Aug. 6 to hear by telephone that she had won $2.5 million. Similarly exciting was the offer that she quickly could receive $85,000 of that amount.

Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The catch? All she had to do was send $5,000 via a Money Pak Card purchased through , according to .

But the woman, by unexplained means, learned her windfall was a scam. She subsequently successfully canceled payment. However, police learned she previously had been scammed out of $500 in another contest "win."

Find out what's happening in Upper Macungiewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police said that telephone calls with Area Codes 876, 809 and 284 are particularly likely to claim that a person has won money.

Anyone in Upper or Lower Macungie with information or similar experience is asked to call state police at 610-395-1438.


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