Action 9: Woman Contacted By Scammer After Giving Personal...

None — A local woman found out the hard way that giving out personal information online can lead to scammers getting your home address.

Jessica Mullins said she knew it was a scam when she got a phone call at her work telling her she'd won $2.5 million and a new SUV in what the caller said was the Mega Bucks Lottery.

"(I said,) ‘And why did I win this again?'" Mullins said. "(The caller said,) ‘Oh, it's for paying your credit card bills on time.' I didn't say anything, but I don't pay credit card bills."

Mullins said she doesn't have a credit card.

The next red flag, she said, was when she was told to send $225 to claim her prizes. The Better Business Bureau said that is a dead giveaway for scams.

"I said, 'You know what, I think it would be best if you take me off of your calling list,'" Mullins said.

Action 9's Don Griffin had Mullins call the number she was given and leave a message with Action 9's phone number. The person called back and insisted there was no scam.

Mullins said she thinks the scammers got her personal information when she registered for free baby gifts online, giving her work number and home address.

BBB President Tom Bartholomy said anytime someone gives his or her information to a website that doesn't say it keeps that information private, it will be bundled and sold.

"They are then going to be able to sell it to some really good companies," Bartholomy said. "But some scammers, as well, that you're definitely not going to want to be hearing from."

Mullins said she won't give out her information so freely on websites.

"I'm not fooling with that stuff anymore," she said.

WSOC