Phone fraud scheme offers $3.5M, car and watch, with a catch
JOHNSON COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — There’s a new phone fraud scheme making big promises about winnings that require a tax payment in advance.
But a Johnson County man wasn’t fooled.
He says he received a phone call from 775-234-8028, and a person identifying himself as Michael Anderson claimed the man was the second place winner in a contest. He was told he’d receive a prize that included a Rolex watch, a Mercedes-Benz car, and $3.5 million — in that order.
Sensing it was a fraud scheme, the man played along and was told he’d need to mail $299 in cash to an address in Miramar, Florida, to cover the taxes associated with the prize.
Deputies from the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded and heard the caller’s claims for themselves. Anderson called back while deputies were present, assuring the man he’d checked with his supervisor and that a certified check would be fine as payment. Anderson also advised the man to “keep his good fortune confidential because they would be delivering a lot of cash to his residence” and said he’d be calling again the next day.