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PAGE 2A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. JUNE 18. 2020
Dollar General in Hinton
swindled by phone scam
By Dan Pool
Editor
dpool@piekensprogress.com
An employee of the Dol
lar General in Hinton was
convinced by someone on
the phone posing as a “re
gional director of investiga
tions” to close the store and
transfer all cash into prepaid
cards and give the person on
the line information to re
trieve the money, according
to an incident narrative filed
by sheriff deputies on June 9.
The incident report filed
by deputies McIntyre and
Cantrell stated the caller ap
parently had at least some
knowledge of the store per
sonnel which made the scam
more convincing. The em
ployee told deputies, “she
was suspicious of the male
subject on the phone but she
stated he was able to give the
amount of time she had
worked for Dollar General
and the previous manager’s
name.”
In a follow up interview,
Sheriff Donnie Craig said
scam artists can be really
convincing and persuasive,
but regardless of what some
one is telling you, “if they
ask you to provide them cash
and the numbers on a Green
Dot card that should be a
clue something is wrong.
Ninety-nine percent of these
scams are done with Green
Dot cards.”
The employee told
deputies that the caller said
his name was Scott Wahn
and he “worked either with
or alongside the FBI.” The
caller told the employee that
the store’s manager was
being investigated for steal
ing thousands from the store.
He instructed her to take all
the money out of the safe and
begin counting and advise
him when she was done. The
employee stated “she heard
background sounds as if the
caller was in an office setting
with others around and
phones calling,” according to
the incident report.
The employee was then
told to go to the CVS in
Jasper and get prepaid cards.
The employee had to go to a
second store, Walgreens,
when CVS had a limit on the
amount they could issue at
one time.
Once the employee had
the cards and gave the codes
to the person on the phone,
all the money could be trans
ferred and she was told to
tear up and throw away the
cards. The deputies noted
they found the tom cards in
the trash in front of the Wal
greens.
The deputies’ report ends
that due to lack of informa
tion on the Wahn subject,
they can not take warrants.
In the later interview Craig
said they are working to see
if they can trace either where
the payment went or work
using the phone number
used.
Craig wanted to empha
size that both individuals and
businesses should be ex
tremely wary any time any
one asks for Green Dot or
other cards and the numbers.
He said the business angle
is a new one here. Several of
the more common scams in
volve callers posing as a
court official threatening the
victim with a warrant over an
outstanding fine, but then
they offer to let them resolve
it right then using Green Dot
cards. He said a variation on
this scam is posing as a util
ity company about to cut off
service right then unless the
payment is made.
“No legitimate type of
business, court or utility
company would ever operate
by using Green Dot cards,”
the sheriff said. “If that hap
pens, hang up and call 911.”
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Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 706-253-0465
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THE MORE BANKS
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Community Bank of Pickens County is the
only true local community bank in Jasper
and Pickens County. We are proud of our
professional and experienced staff that is
home-grown and continues to provide the
personal service you've known for many years.
We live here, we make all banking decisions
here, and we invest in Jasper and Pickens
County every day.
If you have not met us, come by and let us show
you why local banking is better banking.
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Big turnout of vendors at
the latest Farmers Market
Amicalola Garden Club celebrates National Garden Week
To celebrate, beautify and
educate our community, the
butterfly photo board was in
stalled and a butterfly garden
was created in Freedom Park
in Tate by members of Am
icalola Garden Club. Free
dom Park is located in front
of the historical Tate gym and
was constructed by the the
club in 2002 in memory of
911 victims.
The butterfly photo board
was built and painted by
members of the club and is a
nice attraction at the park.
The purpose of the interac
tive butterfly photo board is
to educate the youth and
adults about the role of but
terflies in our world, while
offering a fun photo experi
ence for you, your family and
friends.
The Amicalola Garden
Club will offer programs
about butterflies to the youth
of Tate Elementary School
and other youth groups.
Please go visit the butterfly
photo board and garden fea-
Amicalola Garden Club celebrated National Garden Week by installing a butterfly photo
board and planting a butterfly garden.
hiring flowers that butterflies Yeargin for assisting with
are attracted to and enjoy a planting and Mitch Yeargin
photo shoot. for building the frame and in-
A special thanks to Jessie stalling the board.
Peach season has arrived. Penland’s has brought their fresh produce from Ellijay
peaches to the market for the last two weeks.
Creativity abounds at the
latest Farmers Market with
forty vendors filling the park
& ride lot next to Lee New
ton Park. It was a beautiful
day for the market and hav
ing so many vendors made it
for a fun day to shop and
stroll.
This is the 21 st year of the
Jasper Farmers Market.
Many people enjoy coming
to the market whether to
shop, stroll, or converse with
vendors and other shoppers.
Some are stocking up with
fresh vegetables or home
made breads. Others are find
ing spicy jellies, garlic ropes,
or fig trees so they can grow
their own figs.
As for creativity, yard
decor, bird baths, planters
made of western cedar were
available. Bird houses from
at least 3 vendors, each kind
made differently, were popu
lar choices for customers.
Hand-crafted knit wear and
jewelry, soaps and lotions,
and so much more is avail
able at the market.
Linnea Twaddall has
Linn’s Creations of crafted
kitchen and garden treasures
that will help fill your garden
with very happy birds. Chris
tine Wheeler has Christi’s
Creations and Brandy Dean
offers handmade crafts and
decor with 13th Colony Cre
ations. All these creations are
a must see.
A new vendor at our mar
ket but of great interest to
many is Tony Whitfield of Y-
Not Sharp who sharpens
knives. Perhaps there is
something you need sharp
ened and Tony can make that
happen.
Very creative minds put
their hearts into making won
derful things and discovering
each item is the fun of shop
ping at our market. We also
hope to see you on Wednes
day’s too. This Wednesday,
June 17th, marks the opening
of our mid-week market.
This year we have new hours,
which will be from 11-2. The
Saturday market opens at
7:30 for the early birds, who
always get the best goods
first and continues until
noon. Be sure to come and
stroll the market.
30% OF SINGLE WASH SALES
using this code will go directly to
Habitat For Humanity of Pickens County!
CODE: 888888
From now until July 15,2020
When you arrive at the pay station, either
show the attendant this flyer OR click
“Enter Wash Code” on the bottom left
corner of the screen to indicate that your
purchase is for Habitat for Humanity.
IF*
705 Noah Drive
Jasper, GA 30143