By Shavonne Walker

shavonne.walker@salisburypost.com

Glora Cruikshanks has a warning for residents after strangers tried to trick her into believing they were from the Salisbury Post and get her to give out her credit card number.

Cruikshanks placed a classified ad in the Salisbury Post earlier this week to sell a living room furniture set. On Thursday around 6:30 p.m. she was surprised to receive a call with the words private appear on her phone. The caller, a male, she described as having a bad southern, almost intoxicated sounding accent.

He first inquired about the ad she’d placed and told her he was with the Salisbury Post. He told Cruikshanks her credit card was rejected.

“I asked, ‘do you mean declined?’ ” she said.

Cruikshanks asked the caller for the last four digits of the card that had been declined and he gave her 9143. When she informed him that card number wasn’t right, he told her that’s how the mistake must’ve happened.

“I asked what’s the name on the card and he said Shirl,’ ” she said.

Cruikshanks asked the caller if he meant Cheryl he quickly said yes. She then informed the caller she paid cash for her classified ad.

“He hung up,” Cruikshanks said.

The scam didn’t end there, she said, because 35 minutes later a woman with a similar “bad southern accent” called inquiring about the furniture that was for sale. The woman told Cruikshanks she wanted to take a look at the furniture, but couldn’t come until after 9:30 p.m.

Thinking quickly, Cruikshanks told the caller it would not be possible to meet at that time because her husband worked for the Salisbury Police Department and he worked a split shift that day.

As soon as the caller heard police, she hung up.

Cruikshanks was so shaken by the incident she called her boyfriend who suggested she contact the Salisbury Post about the scam and possibly try to get into contact with others who placed ads in the paper that day.

She did contact a few people who placed ads and warned them of the call she received.

Cruikshanks said she knew from the beginning the call was a scam because she’d paid for her ad at the Salisbury Post and had verified all of her information before she left the office.

Salisbury Post classified manager Sharon Jackson confirmed that what the caller said goes against Salisbury Post policy. Jackson said an ad representative would never call a customer after hours.

She added all information is verified with the customer prior to approving the ad. If a person pays with a credit or debit card the ad representative would know immediately if there is a problem with the account and would not have to call the customer later, Jackson said.

Jackson said if there is any doubt about an ad purchased through the Salisbury Post classified department, she invites customers to call 704-797-4220.