Photo: Boynton Beach Police Dept.
The Boynton Beach Police Department is warning of a new scam making the rounds.
A Boynton Beach man was ripped off to the tune of nearly $60,000 by someone who reached out to him, claiming to be a representative from the Gates Foundation. They said he qualified for a substantial grant, because he was a widower and a disabled veteran.
But, the crook told the victim that there were costs involved, and that he had to wire thousands of dollars from a money market account and purchase five iPhones, and send them to an address in Texas.
The scammer also told the man to buy gift cards in various amounts and provide the account numbers over the phone.
The man realized he had been scammed when he received a check that had was deemed insufficient by the bank.
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation says scams associated with their organization are growing in volume and remind people that their representatives will not request administrative fees for awarding a grant nor will they approach individuals offering grant opportunities.
The organization has provided This Link for more information on potential scams and how to report them.