In the last 30 days, three different people in Putnam County have lost more than $100,000 total through phone scams, according to authorities. Putnam County Sheriff Sills had the opportunity to speak to one of the scammers on the phone, and the sheriff said he is not happy with how the elderly are being robbed in his jurisdiction or anywhere else.
“People, especially older people, are being victimized at an unprecedented level and there’s nothing we can do about it because once the money is sent, it’s gone,” Sills said. “I just beg people, don’t send money, just don’t. Call us (sheriff’s office) first before you send anyone any money.”
Online purchases
One victim thought they were buying heavy equipment online and paid more than $60,000 for it, but the equipment never came, Sills said.
“People have got to understand that when these crimes happen, we jump right on them, but the money is already gone,” he explained. “It is wired to an account that’s been set up in a fictitious name, and then immediately wired out and into another account. It could be overseas somewhere and we have no way of knowing where it went. It’s very frustrating to us to see people victimized, and especially because it’s always, always, older people.”
Publishers Clearing House winnings
Another victim was called and told they had won the Publisher’s Clearing House sweepstakes and needed to send money to claim the prize. The victim initially sent only $2,000, according to Sills, but then received another call saying $60,000 was due before the money could be awarded. The victim became suspicious at that point and went to the sheriff’s office.
“The victim was in my office when the scammer called back and I took the phone and talked to him,” Sills said. “I told him ‘I don’t know who or where you are, but when I find you, I will … have your (expletives) in jail so fast it’ll make your head spin.’ Of course, he hung up on me,” Sills added.
The sheriff went on to say that if anyone wins the Publishers Clearing House giveaway, the Publishers Clearing House officials call the sheriffs’ offices and have law enforcement accompany them to the winner’s home to present the award.
The same concept applies to notices received in the mail. Sills showed documents that were delivered in a UPS package claiming the recipient was a winner and requesting money be sent to the IRS.
He pointed out how the documents were printed on what appeared to be legitimate paper and had all the correct logos on them. He repeated that if anyone receives a call or notice that they’ve won anything, call the sheriff’s office first.
Sills also said the same thing applies to lottery winnings. “If you win the lottery, first off you have to have a ticket on you,” he said and added that any such winnings or accompanying taxes should be legitimized, which the sheriff’s office will do.
Unauthorized Amazon purchases
The third victim received a text message from a person posing as Amazon regarding an unauthorized purchase.
Amazon asked if the victim had purchased something that cost “X-amount” of dollars.
When the victim responded “no,” they received a phone call and were told to report the compromise of their identity to the Secret Service and Homeland Security.
They also were told to send approximately $50,000 to a mail drop service, and Secret Service would intercept it and thus catch the perpetrators with the victim’s help, Sills said. The victim was provided the address of the Homeland Security office in Macon.
“What angers me the most is that they had the audacity to send the victim to the U.S. Marshall’s office in Macon, and then when the victim got there, they found out they were duped,” Sills said.
“But what makes me the maddest is that when the feds find out they were robbed, the feds don’t do anything about it. If you report it to Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, I’d go bat (expletive) crazy to find out who did it.”
The targets and means
The recent incidents reminded Sills of past scams in which people were swindled out of money via phone calls from scammers posing as deputies saying a person didn’t show up for jury duty and a warrant was issued but could be paid via phone, or a grandchild saying they were in a car wreck or in jail and needed money to bail out.
“But we (law enforcement) do not, I repeat, we do not, call and say send money to anybody,” Sills emphasized. “If the person calls and claims they’ve been in a wreck or are in jail, call our office and we can check on that, no matter what jail they say they’re in. Whatever you do, don’t send money, and never send gift cards.”
Older people are the primary targets of these scammers, according to the sheriff.
“Anybody anywhere can call a marketing firm and pay them $40 to send a list of everybody over 65 in a certain zip code with a certain income level,” he explained. “So, don’t send them money. Call us, we’ll find out if your granddaughter is in jail or if you won anything. Don’t send money and please don’t send gift cards.”
The phone number for Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is 706-485-8557.
Documents received by a victim of a scam reveal how legitimate the documents appear, complete with logos.
LYNN HOBBS/Staff