Michigan Walmart Shoppers Warned About New Robocall Trap

If you've shopped at any Walmart stores recently, you should be aware of a suspicious call that could be coming to your phone. A new robocall scam is making the rounds, and it’s using Walmart's name to try to trick people into handing over their personal information.

How The New Scam Will Play Out

If you do happen to fall victim to the scam, here is what you might hear. You’ll get a call from an artificial voice that introduces itself as “Emma” or “Carl.” The message claims there is a preauthorized purchase tied to your Walmart account, usually a PlayStation 5 special edition bundled with a Pulse 3D headset.

The price tag will be $919.45. The voice says you can cancel the order or reach out to customer support by pressing 1.

That is all a part of the trap.

What Ends Up Happening

If you press the button or call back, you’re connected to a live scammer who starts asking for sensitive details like your Social Security number and address under the excuse of “confirming your identity.” That information can then be used to steal your identity.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) says industry investigators traced illegal calls earlier this year, and YouMail estimates nearly 8 million robocalls tied to this campaign happened nationwide.

The FCC has stepped in, ordering the voice provider allegedly carrying these calls (SK Teleco) to stop processing them.

The FCC warns that if the company doesn’t shut this down and prevent future repeats, it could cut off their services from U.S. communications networks.