Just when you think it’s safe to enter the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, this happens. Stay with me. It’s a long article.

I have a relative (for the purpose of this article we will call him Bill) who was recently scammed out of almost $40,000. Sounds impossible, right? What law-abiding, hard working, money saving senior would not see it coming? Yet fraud happens every day, especially to our senior adults. In fact, the scams are so frequently successful that they are being given names such as “The Senior Lottery, and the PCH scam.” That’s the one that got Bill.

In the spring of this year, Bill received a phone call that he had won the PCH sweepstakes to the tune of $4.6 million. He had not even entered the sweepstakes so his response to the person on the phone was to say that he believed the call was a scam and he disconnected the call.

A few days went by. Bill received a second call. The same scammer assured him he had won. Bill asked for proof in writing and disconnected the call. He then received letters stating he had won and telling him how to collect the money. The letters were emailed to Office Depot. He received a call to pick up the letters.

Now, let me stop here for a minute folks. Some of you are reading this and already thinking, “Well that would never happen to me. I’d know it was a scam.” Let me tell you, the letters looked legit. Logos from The Tennessee Lottery and PCH were on them and anyone who didn’t know how to pull those logos off the internet would never suspect it could be done so easily. Moving on.

Bill got another phone call asking if he received the letters. Let’s call the scammer Jack as that is the supposed name of one of the scammers. Jack told Bill that since he had received the letters he should feel certain he had won. Bill began to waiver, thinking it might just be possible. After all, he had worked hard all his life for minimum wage, tithed regularly and often helped others in need. Maybe his time had finally arrived. In addition, the letters looked real.

Jack could hear the hopeful note in Bill’s voice and swooped in for the kill. He told Bill that Bank of America would be dispersing the winnings so Bill needed to wire $4,000 to an address Jack gave him to offset the bank’s handling cost. Bill did.

Jack waited a few days, then called back asking for more money. Bill responded by sending the money as instructed. Always cash. Always wired to what Bill now knows is an untraceable person/address. This went on for weeks until Bill had exhausted his savings and checking accounts.

When Jack called again Bill explained that he had no more money. Jack said not to worry because he was going to deposit $8,000 into a First TN Visa card account for him. I am using real bank and credit card names because these were the names used in this scam. Sure enough, when Bill checked with Visa the $8,000 had been deposited. Bill wondered how Jack knew his Visa account number but still thought everything must be legit because the money was there.

Jack called again asking if Bill received the money. When Bill replied in the affirmative (you see what’s coming, right?) Jack instructed Bill to go to a bank and take out a cash advance on the Visa card. Bill did. He was also told to go to a few “different” stores to buy high dollar Amazon gift cards using the Visa. He did. The deposited check bounced the next day after Bill withdrew the cash advance, made those purchases, and mailed them out.

At this point, Bill has emptied his savings and checking accounts and is living month to month off his ONLY income, Social Security. I will try and shorten the remainder of this story for the sake of this article.

Bill continues to take cash advances on the Visa card, which has an $8,000 limit, but that didn’t seem to matter to Visa. They allowed the use of the card way beyond the limit. Now, we are up to almost $16,000 on the Visa card between cash advances, fees for cash advances, gift card purchases, and fees for wiring money. In case anyone is wondering, that fee is about $25 per wire transfer. Jack actually wires Bill $60 at one point to help him pay for groceries. This only hardens Bill’s resolve that the win is legitimate.

Jack calls again to say that all that is needed now is the final $2,000 and then Bill will receive his millions. Bill borrows money from friends and relatives into the thousands. Jack calls again to say that only another $387.00 dollars needs to be sent. Bill repeats that he has no more money. Jack suggests Bill sell the title to his car. Bill does.

Bill is now at the point of desperation and has no choice but to tell his family what he has done. It takes a while, but his family finally convinces Bill it is a scam. Police are called in for a report and investigation. By the way, they care and will take your report but sadly, there isn’t much they can do in these cases. The scammers have hidden their tracks extremely well.

To date, Bill is out almost $40,000 and is still receiving calls from Jack asking for more money and insisting there is no scam. The phone numbers are untraceable.

Jack even gave Bill a number to call him back. When Bill called, Jack answered every time. Jack continues to insist that he personally will be showing up at Bill’s door any day now with his winnings.

To sum this up, this scam is so popular the actual PCH has a blog page about the scam on their Website where people can post how it happened to them. And there are a lot of postings. Visa will not forgive the debt since Bill did make all the withdrawals and purchases. The bank has been less than helpful. Bill may lose his house, be forced to declare bankruptcy, or both.

Be careful if you are thinking you would never fall for this. It has happened to many people already. Mostly seniors.

The most important thing to remember is that NO COMPANY, I REPEAT, NO COMPANY WILL EVER ASK YOU FOR MONEY IF YOU HAVE WON MONEY!!

The second most important thing to remember is: DON’T ANSWER YOUR PHONE IF YOU DON’T RECOGNIZE THE NUMBER.

The third most important thing to remember is, if you answer your phone and suspect fraud: JUST HANG UP. YOU CAN DO IT!