A warning has been issued to residents of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania in the US to be on the look out for the Jamaican lottery scam.
Allegheny County District Attorney, Stephen Zappala, says scammers have been targeting persons in the area. Callers claim to work for Publisher's Clearing House, which is a legitimate sweepstakes firm. The scammers tell residents they have won a prize but must first send a cheque to cover processing fees.
Mr. Zappalla added that the caller IDs have indicated the calls are from Jamaica's '876' area code. He has urged persons not to send any money.
And local investigators are still questioning several persons held during this week's major operation carried out by the Lottery Scam Task Force. A source close to the probe told our news centre that several of those held will be charged. Forty-one suspects linked to lottery scamming activities were arrested in back-to-back operations Monday and Tuesday.
The raids targeted persons who lured unsuspecting elderly Americans to Jamaica as couriers. In the first raid in Westmoreland a police/military team went to Petersfield, Shrewsbury, Llandilo, Chantilly and Cooke Street. Twenty-two persons were nabbed, fifteen of who were previously charged with breaching the Law Reform (Fraudulent Transaction) (Special Provisions) Act. The following day nineteen persons from Spicy Hill, Stone Brook, Martha Brae and Clarkes Town in Trelawny were arrested.
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