Phishing Scam/Letter

DATE & TIME: 08-07-2019 @ 3:15 pm

LOCATION: Rural Odell, Nebraska 

OFFENSE: Phishing Scam/Letter

CASE #: 2019-4224

Investigators at the Gage County Sheriff’s Office were made aware of a letter being sent to a resident of rural Odell, Nebraska in which the resident was asked to call an overseas phone number in order to collect half of $26,700,000.00. The letter was sent through the US Postal Service and the postmark indicates the letter was mailed from France. It also tried to intimate that banking regulations required secrecy and for the recipient to contact the suspect. The address on the envelope was correct, but the letter inside was a form letter from a “Mrs. Francisca Solar”.

The resident did not respond or provide any personal, confidential, or financial information and did not lose any money, but wanted the sheriff’s office to make the public aware of this scam attempt.

The Gage County Sheriff’s Office urges residents to use caution and exercise discretion when dealing with financial matters involving unknown persons. These types of contacts are “phishing” expeditions, where the suspect attempts to elicit information from you that allows them to commit fraud against you or develop enough personal information to commit an identity theft. Do not provide any personal, financial, or confidential information which can then be used to defraud you or allow the suspect to commit some type of identity theft.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310