Sent almost $900 via Western Union
BROOKLAND, Ark. – A woman who thought she was the winner of a Publisher’s Clearing House prize ended up on the wrong end of a scam and lost several hundred dollars because of it.
At about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 10, Deputy Mike Lawrence with Craighead County Sheriff’s Office spoke with the 74-year-old victim. She came to the office to make the report. The woman said she had received a fraudulent phone call that resulted in her giving money to the suspect.
The suspect reportedly called her and advised she had won a large cash prize and new vehicle from Publisher’s Clearing House. The suspect said she needed to send him $500 in order to receive the prize.
The woman sent the money via Western Union.
A short time later, the woman received another phone call from the same subject stating she needed to send an additional $355.
Once again, she sent the money via Western Union. A total of $855 was lost in the scam.
The suspect faces a charge of felony financial identity fraud. The problem is finding the suspect. Authorities often have difficulty locating suspects who hatch scams such as this as they could be located anywhere in the world.
If you have any information which might assist the sheriff’s office, contact Crimestoppers at 870-935-STOP.
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