It all started shortly after Thanksgiving on Nov. 27 when her father received an email saying he would need to pay $400 to renew his alleged Geek Squad subscription.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — A woman claimed her 77-year-old father lost over $60,000 in a gift card email scam over the holidays, according to a Gwinnett County Police report.

It all started shortly after Thanksgiving on Nov. 27 when her father received an email saying he would need to pay $400 to renew his subscription to an account posing as Geek Squad, the report stated. 

Diane Durham and her sister were alerted that there was a problem when their dad reached out to ask for money.

“He said that he owed people money and that he had to get it to them by 5 o’clock that day," said Durham.

She then told police that the email left directions for him to call a number where he spoke with someone who allegedly told him to send money to another account. 

Durham said here dad was later told that he was over-credited and he needed to make it right by buying gift cards and providing the numbers to the person over the phone.

For nine days, the 77-year-old withdrew money from his bank accounts.

Durham then contacted her father's bank and found out he lost about $62,000 from his account. The police report stated she was able to recover half the amount in gift cards from her father. 

“It's difficult but I think as adult children, you need to start working with your parents on things," said Durham. "What can I help you with? What would make your life easier?"

She also stated that after reviewing her father's bank account statements, she noticed large amounts of money being transferred back and forth from his account and another account, according to the report.

“My father has experienced a lot of shame and embarrassment. My mom is clearly depressed. They don’t totally understand what has happened," said the distraught daughter. 

Police are now in the process of reviewing the bank statement to attempt to gather more information on the case. 

The family has since set up a GoFundMe to try to recover what their parents lost. To those who would like to show support, click here.

Tips on how to deal with falling for a scam

Federal Trade Commission said that scammers are having more sophisticated ways to gain your information and steal your money. 

The most common way scammers find their way into your information is through using your email and text messages, launching thousands of attacks every day, according to the FTC. 

FTC officials added that scammers mostly try to use links or tell you a story to try to click an attachment. In the case above, the 77-year-old man was given directions to call a number for a subscription he thought he was going to lose where he was pressured into spending thousands in gift cards. 

The Better Business Bureau reports hundreds of millions of dollars are stolen each year from consumers on gift cards as well.

Ladisa Onyilogwu, the director of Senior Services for Fulton County, said regular check-ins with aging parents can help them avoid becoming victims. 

“Caregivers need to start developing a new custom with providing some standard reminders to their loved ones," she said.

Here's the best way to avoid phishing scams, according to the FTC: 

• Protect your computer and cell phone with extra security software. Automatic software could help get rid of any new security threats, according to the FTC.
• Protect your accounts by adding multi-factor authentication. Officials recommend always having a PIN number and passcode set up to log into your accounts.
• Protect your data by backing it up onto a hard drive. 
• Contact the company that you believe is emailing from their actual website.
• If you have fallen for a scam and your Social Security, credit card, or identity is stolen, then it's best to report it through the government's website here.

Here's how to report a phishing scam if you believe one is fake: