CURWENSVILLE – Curwensville Borough Police say residents are reporting a telephone scam.
A Curwensville resident was contacted and asked to send $300 through Western Union to a location in Las Vegas in order to claim a large cash prize.
The would-be victim did not send the payment, and police were able to make contact with the person. Officers asked that information be sent to the police department. The police did not receive the requested information or a telephone call.
Police warn residents to not respond to calls that claim you have won a large cash prize. Police said that there have been several versions of this crime including one they investigated in which the person responded to a poetry contest and won. The person received a check for several thousand dollars and was to cash the check and send all of the money except for a small portion back to the company via Western Union. The company explained that this was to pay taxes needed to claim the prize of $50,000.
The person cashed the check, which was later discovered to be stolen, and forwarded payment through Western Union.
Police remind people to not give out personal information and ask those who receive similar calls to contact the local police so that the public can be warned of such activity.