Scam Warning: Seniors Being Targeted, Authorities Say

A scam that promises prize money in exchange for a "significant" upfront fee has been making its rounds throughout the Sacramento region, and local officials are warning the public to stay wary.

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully, in a press release, stated that the scam artists contact people, particularly senior citizens, and claim that they are the CEO of a corporation that awards people money. They go on to ask if the potential victim has ever responded to an email or phone call about winning a grand prize drawing or if they had entered any contests.

If the potential victim answers with an affirmation, the scammer then claims to be the person authorized to award the prize money, the release states. They then say that "all the person needs to do is to finalize the process by paying them a processing fee into the hundreds or thousands of dollars."

The scammer then directs the victim to buy a Green Dot Moneypak card and set up a meeting for the scammer to collect the card, the release states. Then the scammer promises to deliver the prize money within a few days, which never happens, according to the DA.

There is a Consumer Protection Unit within the DA's Office, which provides tips on how to avoid being a victim of scams.  

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