A Laird man was no winner in a Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes. By the end of December he had spent $13,000 in an effort to collect monies he was told he had won, but never saw.
According to an Oakland County Sheriff’s report, the man was notified by phone on Dec. 1 at 9:30 a.m. that he had won $144,000 in a Publishers Clearninghouse Sweepstakes.
He was told he would receive a phone call from a JP Morgan broker telling him about tax monies owed on the winnings.
That call came in at 10 a.m. The man was informed his taxes would be 2 percent and had to be paid in advance. A courier would then be sent out with the winning check.
The man wired the money via Western Union to Quebec on the same day.
He received another call on Dec. 4 telling him the check couldn’t be delivered because he wasn’t home. He was told he owed another 2 percent for the two days he wasn’t home. More money was wired to Canada.
By the time he was last contacted, the man had sent a total of $13,000. The Lake Orion man on Dec. 10 told the caller he had no more money to send. The caller hung up on him.
After that, the man did receive another phone call from someone who said he was from customs. The caller asked him why he didn’t pay the money.
OCSD deputies are warning people to be wary of this Canadian fraud that has been around for a long time. They recommend people call the Publishers Clearinghouse to verify winnings before any attempt is made to send anyone any money.