Look out for this phone scam

NEWPORT – The Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office is warning people of a phone scam where callers pose as bank or government officials.

According to the sheriff’s office, the scammers will usually call and say they are with a government agency or a bank. The scammers will then say the person’s accounts have been compromised or that the person owes money to a government agency.

The scammer will then ask the person to buy gift cards and give the card number to them to square up the account.

The Sheriff’s Office says no official government agency or bank will ever call to tell you to purchase a gift card and give them the card number to settle a debt. Once the card information is given, there is no way for the person who was called to get their money back.

If you become the victim of a phone scam, call your local law enforcement agency.