Austintown woman victim of $6K scam

July 21, 2017 at 11:57a.m.

AUSTINTOWN — An area woman purchased gift cards totaling $6,281 to pay a person posing as an employee from State Teachers Retirement Systems Wednesday.

The woman reported the matter to police Thursday after the STRS scammer continued to call her.

The report says the person claimed the woman's late husband's pension and life premiums were in arrears.

The report says the woman purchased an additional $4,000 in gift cards from Giant Eagle, 5220 Mahoning Ave., after the second call, and employees at the store warned her of the scam.