NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — A group of fraudsters have been sending New Yorkers texts and emails claiming to be their employers as part of a scam aimed at getting them to buy gift cards, the state’s attorney general warned Friday.
The “Boss Scam,” as the scheme has been dubbed, targets employees who have been working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a press release.
As part of the scheme, a scammer will pose as an employee's boss, sending them a text or email claiming they are dealing with a work emergency that requires the employee to buy gift cards to Target or another store, the release said.
After the employee complies, the “boss” asks them to scratch off the foil on the back of the cards and send over photos of the PIN or claim codes, “thus making the gift card the equivalent of cash,” according to the release.
“Due to COVID-19 safety measures, many employees are still working remotely, which makes it easier to fall for this common scam,” James said in a statement. “A legitimate employer will never ask you to purchase gift cards in order to pay clients or for other business purchases.”
New Yorkers who believe they have been targeted by this scam can file a complaint by submitting a Consumer Frauds and Protection Bureau complaint form online or by calling (800)-771-7755.