(WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com) — A local woman recently was scammed by a caller who claimed she had won a popular sweepstakes.
On May 9, a 65-year-old Conneaut Township woman called the Pennsylvania State Police to report that she had been scammed over the telephone.
According to the police report, the woman was called by someone claiming to be from Publishers Clearing House. The caller told the victim that in order to claim the prize, she would need to pay a fee. The catch? The fee needed to be paid by gift card.
The Conneaut Township woman bought a $200 gift card, as requested, and provided payment information to the scammer. There was no prize.
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Efforts to contact the scammer after the theft were unsuccessful.