Con artist targets elderly with scam
A consumer advisory has been issued regarding a bogus lottery scam which targets senior citizens.
The advisory, put out by the Tennessee Regulatory Authority this week, warns of a telephone scam from a con artist who identifies himself as a customs officer from the state of Vermont. The man informs potential targets they have won the Canadian Sweepstakes Lottery and their cash prize can be redeemed by paying a transfer or duty fee.
The con man tells the victims to wire the fees to a Canadian address before the prizes are claimed. The calls are originating from Canada.
According to the Tennessee Regulatory Authority, the scam artist is targeting senior citizens, particularly those with large bank accounts, and those who regularly participate in sweepstakes drawings and contests.
Investigators are asking those being contacted by a person identifying himself as a member of the U.S. Customs Service or from any other government agency, to contact the U.S. Customs office hotline at 1-800-BE-ALERT.
Consumer advocates advise consumers to be cautious of any sweepstakes or lottery which requests money up front from before releasing a prize since most reputable groups offering prizes do not demand a handling fee before issuing prizes.