Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird Monday announced a victory protecting a central Iowa couple from a sweepstakes scam. Attorney General Bird warns other Iowans to be on the lookout.
In a sweepstakes scam, con artists try to trick Iowans into thinking they have hit the jackpot and then exploit their excitement to steal from them. These scams are often carried out over the phone. Scammers pretend to be a sweepstakes company, such as Publishers Clearing House, to convince Iowans they have won a cash prize. Then, the scammers demand payment from the “winning Iowan” to cover fake fees and taxes.
Last month, the Iowa Attorney General’s office saved a central Iowa couple $16,340.18 that they sent to a scammer through the mail. The scammer called the 72-year-old husband and told him that he won a Publishers Clearing House prize of $3.5 million, plus $5,000 a week for life. But in order to receive the prize, the man was instructed to pay more than $16,000 upfront in fees and taxes. The man then went to the bank, got a cashier’s check, and sent the check via express mail to a Miami address that the scammer gave him. When the man’s wife and daughter learned what had happened, the wife called her son-in-law for help. The son-in-law was at a training for Iowa county attorneys, where he discussed the scam with an investigator from the Iowa Attorney General’s office. The investigator immediately worked with a local postal inspector to intercept the package, which was saved and returned to the Iowa couple.
How to Protect Yourself:
- Never share personal information such as Social Security numbers or banking information on the phone with someone you do not know.
- Be cautious of suspicious emails or links that may lead to fraudulent websites.
- Hang up or do not respond to any unsolicited calls or messages.
- Always double check. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Report suspicious activity to the Iowa Attorney General’s office or local law enforcement.
If you or someone you know is suspicious of a sweepstakes scam, contact the Iowa Attorney General’s office.
