Scam artist targets Brazil Times customers

The Brazil Times was alerted Wednesday about a potential scam artist allegedly calling people who have placed advertisements in the paper in an attempt to get personal financial information.

A customer contacted The Times with information about an alleged phone call they received Tuesday night. An unknown woman attempted to get the customer's credit card information to pay for an ad currently running in the paper. When the customer told the woman they had already paid, she allegedly hung up.

When a customer places an ad, Brazil Times General Manager Lynne Llewellyn said all terms, including current pricing rates and how it will be paid for, are completed before the ad is placed in the paper. This is true of ads running in both the Banner Graphic and The Times.

She also said employees of the paper do not make customer service or sales calls after normal business hours, which are 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.

"Please be wary and if anyone gets one of these calls, please ask for their identification," Llewellyn said, adding that an incident report has been filed with the Brazil City Police Department.

If anyone has been contacted about this potential scam or has more information about this case, please contact Llewellyn at The Brazil Times at 446-2216 or the Brazil City Police Department at 446-2211.