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OBX man swindled out of hundreds of dollars in months-long scam

Posted at 6:36 PM, Apr 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-18 23:25:38-04

KILL DEVIL HILLS, N.C. - Police in Kill Devil Hills say a man is out hundreds of dollars after falling victim to a sophisticated scam that took months to develop.

The victim told police he met a woman online in January and that they developed a relationship over time with the two engaging in an adult conversation at one point.

This month, the man said he was contacted by someone over the phone claiming he was a police investigator. The “investigator” informed him the “woman” he’d been speaking with was actually a minor and that he’d committed several felonies, police say.

According to police, the man claims a person who said he was a prosecutor called him the following day and offered a settlement to avoid prosecution to which the man agreed.

The payment was made through prepaid gift cards.

Police tell News 3 the man was being scammed and that he’s just the latest in an alarming number of people to be swindled out of cash.

“Some of these scams [are] getting more complex, they’re getting more sophisticated and they’re starting to fool people on a more regular basis,” said Lt. John Towler with the Kill Devil Hills Police Department.

One weekend last month, police say victims reported losing a total of $100,000 in scams. The most an individual lost was $40,000 to someone pretending to be a friend on Facebook.

Police say it’s important for people to remain skeptical of anyone who contacts them and demands money.

If you feel you might be getting scammed, reach out to your local police department.