What's a flash drive? Watch out for this scam!

Posted: January 20, 2023, 3:32PM

Did you receive something in the mail that looks like the picture? These come in all colors, too, by the way. Some are blue. Some are silver. Some have company logos. Some are very small.

If you receive one of these - beware! Consumers are being warned about flash drives they receive in the mail.

BTW - flash drives are small electronic devices that are used for storing data or transferring it to or from another computer, digital camera, etc. (Oxford Languages Dictionary online)

Recently, local "randomly selected" community members received a flash drive containing a "free unconditional $50 USD Walmart gift card". The WTOV 9 (Wheeling-Steubenville) news report went on to state that the 'winners' could only redeem the gift card at a Walmart retail store but first they had to plug the drive into their computer to access a customer service number. (Then they give you a number to call....and so on....) It's a scam! Don't do it.

There may be a letter accompanying the drive that offers a gift card and deals on merchandise. The letter may claim to be from Microsoft, Walmart, or other retailers. There may not be any written communication. Regardless - DO NOT PLUG THIS INTO YOUR COMPUTER!

Viruses, triggers for virus alerts, ransomware, and other issues such as stolen personal information can be a consequence!