A woman with a Southern accent is calling customers who placed classified ads in The Bulletin, in an attempt to trick them into giving her their credit card numbers, the newspaper’s advertising director said this morning.

Three classified ad customers called The Bulletin today to report that the woman called them between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. and asked for a credit card payment, said Advertising Director Jay Brandt.

A majority of customers prepay for classified ads with The Bulletin, and the three customers who reported the scam today were not tricked into giving out their credit card information.

“All … of the classified customers who called in had pre-paid for their ad and were not tricked, as soon as the caller realized the customer was catching on she hung up without saying another word,” Classified Sales and Systems Manager Kevin O’Connell wrote in an e-mail.

Brandt said The Bulletin has notified the Bend Police Department, the state Attorney General and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association of the scam.

“The Bulletin only offers this pre-payment option at the time the ad is placed,” Brandt wrote in an e-mail. “We do not contact our classified customers after the ad is already publishing and ask for payment.”

People who have questions regarding the issue can call 541-382-1811.