An elderly woman in Salina narrowly avoids becoming a scam victim

Salina Police Captain Mike Sweeney says that a 92-year-old woman received a phone call Wednesday between 10:30 and 11:00 in the morning. She was told that she had won $3 million from Publisher’s Clearing House, and also a new BMW vehicle.

To collect her prizes, the woman was told that she had to pay $4,998 in taxes. She was told that after paying the taxes she would receive her prize money, and the BMW would be sent from a dealer in Ellis.

The woman did as she was instructed. She wrote out a check to a person named Steve Hamilton, and put it in an envelope to be delivered to Pelion, South Carolina. She left it in her mailbox for pickup. After her mail carrier had already retrieved up the envelope for delivery, the woman had second thoughts and contacted police. Police, working with the post office, were able to retrieve the envelope, and check for the woman.

Police caution citizens to be wary of unsolicited contact regarding winning money or prizes, especially if the winner is required to make some sort of payment in order to receive their winnings.