Theft By Deception (Sweepstakes Scam)

DATE & TIME: 04-11-2018 @ 1212

LOCATION: Wymore, Nebraska

OFFENSE: Theft By Deception (Sweepstakes Scam)

CASE #: 2018-1558

A Wymore resident reported to a Gage County Sheriff’s Office investigator she had lost $600.00 in a sweepstakes scam. The resident said she received a letter telling she had won $4,900,000.00 and to contact a phone number that was on the letter. When she did, a male with a Middle Eastern accent informed her that she had to pay a $300.00 fee to collect her prize. She went to the Wal-Mart in Beatrice and sent a $300.00 MoneyGram to a “Sandra Deblanc” in New Jersey. The victim was again contacted and told she had to pay $300.00 in taxes and to send another $300.00 Wal-Mart MoneyGram, this time to a “John Carpenter” in Palm Springs, California, which she did. 

When the victim went to her bank in Blue Springs, she was informed no prize money had been sent to her account. The suspects contacted her and wanted her bank information, but she declined to give the information to him. She did, however, provide additional personal and confidential information to the suspect. Bank officials in Blue Springs advised the victim to contact law enforcement, which she did, additionally reporting she had received over 30 calls from the suspect in the previous two hours.

The investigator from the Gage County Sheriff’s Office contacted the bank officers in Blue Springs and the bank arranged to have a fraud specialist contact the victim. The investigator advised the victim to not send any more money to the suspect and to monitor her banking, credit cards, and other accounts.  The Wymore Police Department was notified of the call.

Residents are urged to not send money to unknown persons and to use caution when offered deals that seem too good to be true. Warning signs the person you are dealing with include having to send money to collect money, sending money to unknown or unverified persons, using money orders sent through a retail business, or sending or buying gift cards and giving that information to the other party as a method of payment. Anyone who has been defrauded or solicited for a scam should contact their local policed department or call the Gage County Sheriff’s Office and ask to speak with an investigator.

Sheriff Millard “Gus” Gustafson #903

Investigator T. Hanson #90310