Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Summertown Woman Falls Victim To Lottery Scam
Another local resident has reported to authorities that she had been preyed upon by individuals perpetrating a lottery scam.
The victim, age 29, reported to deputies with the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department that she had received a letter through the mail on May 2, 2013 stating that she was a winner of a $55,000 lottery prize. Included with the letter was a check for $2,700.79, said to have been “deducted from her winnings.”
The victim was instructed to call a number provided in order to have the check “activated,” then deposit it into her bank account. She was told to use the funds to wire money to two different “Alvaro subjects” in the United Kingdom to cover taxes.
According to the victim she deposited the check and on May 6 wired two money grams in the amounts of $850 and $900. According to the letter once the funds had been wired, the victim’s winnings would be released.
The letter warned the victim that for security purposes she should, “keep her winnings confidential.”
According to the report the victim received notification from her bank on Monday that the check had been fake.
Investigation into the crime continues through the department’s Criminal Investigation Division.
