Scammers targeting consumers with fake TV, internet and phone service offers

JACKSON, Tenn. — Scammers are targeting consumers with fake offers for discounted TV, internet, and phone services, but there’s a major red flag: They want you to pay with gift cards.

The pitch often comes through a call, text, or email promising a locked-in rate, bundle upgrade, or limited-time promotion. Some even offer a free device like a smart TV or streaming box to sound more legitimate.

Scammers may impersonate major providers like AT&T or Xfinity and use spoofed caller IDs to appear credible.

The Better Business Bureau warns real companies don’t demand gift card payments. If you receive an unsolicited offer, verify it independently before responding.

Daniel Irwin from the BBB explains.

“If you’re contacted in an unsolicited way about an offer and you think that it might be true or you’re interested in further discussing it, don’t do it with whoever you have on the phone. Make sure you call the company back with a number you’ve gotten independently. Because you just can’t trust who is on the phone with you at that current time,” said Irwin.

You can always use the Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker to see if anything has been recently reported.

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