The Anchorage Police Department has received more complaints about a scam which targets hotel guests.

It is a scam which resurfaces from time to time and victimizes travelers. The scammers contact hotel guests by phone at random and when the guest answers the phone the scammer tells them that they are calling from the front desk and there has been a problem with their credit card transaction. Of course the scammer then needs the victims’ credit card information. Within minutes there are charges made on the credit card from other locations.

Members of the public are warned not to give any personal information out especially credit card numbers to anyone of whose identity they are uncertain. The Better Business Bureau recommends that if you are a hotel guest and you receive a call from the hotel desk requesting personal information, that you hang up and recall the front desk to verify the authenticity of the call.

Often the scammers are located in foreign countries and are impossible to track down.