Suffolk cops warn public of scam

If you get a text message saying you're the recipient of a $1,000 Best Buy gift card, better delete the message and not respond, the Suffolk County police department's identity theft unit advised the public Tuesday.

It's a cell-phone "phishing scam" aimed at getting people to share their personal financial information, said Suffolk police, who said they confirmed with Best Buy that it is not running such a promotion.

The message directs recipients to a website to claim the prize, where an attempt is made to get information, such as credit card or debit card numbers, police said.

The public should not reveal any such information when contacted through unsolicited phone calls, emails or text messages, police said. To learn more click "identity theft facts" at Suffolkpd.org.