Ofc. Teresa Fuller
Tuesday, December 15, 2015 at 11:59 a.m.
The Spokane Police Division has had a couple of these scams reported recently involving alleged sweepstakes winners. A caller advises the victim that they have won a large reward but are required to pay fees or taxes prior to collecting. There have been numerous victims across the country. The money typically ends up out of country, leaving us with little to investigate and prosecute. The victims are usually elderly and in cases have been scammed out of thousands of dollars.
We would like citizens of Spokane to be aware of these scams and look for the warning signs when dealing with suspicious situations:
If you are the victim of fraud, report the incident to Crime Check, 456-2233.
Officer John O'Brien
509.835.4568
jobrien@spokanepolice.org