Police are investigating a fraud phone call that led to the loss of up to $5,000 in gift cards.

According to Captain Jim Feldman, last Wednesday a 72-year-old Salinan was clearing out his mother’s estate when he received a phone call from a man who allegedly claimed to be an AT&T employee. The caller stated that there was an issue on his mother’s account and that he was going to be re-credited a sum of $600.

 The 72-year-old man was then required to fill out an online invoice for $6,000 to get the money returned. The man was then told in order to get his money back he was going to need to purchase up to $5000 worth of Nordstrom and CVS gift cards and to give the pin over to the caller. After doing so, the money was taken and never returned. 

Feldman would like to remind everyone that if a business or government agency ever calls about payment through gift cards or other elaborate means, it’s a scam. Public Ssrvices will never ask you to pay with gift cards over the phone.