An elderly Neshoba County woman was conned out of several thousand dollars after she fell victim to a scam, the sheriff said.
The woman received a phone call notifying her that she had won a large sum of money but in order to claim it, she had to mail a check to a particular address.
"She was told she had won over $400,000," Sheriff Donnie Adkins said.
The people running this scam are going around calling mainly elderly people, saying they have won money, when they really haven't, he said.
In return, they are told they have to send a check to claim their winnings, he said.
Adkins said the woman received four or five calls related to the scam while he was at her home investigating the matter.
"Of course, when I got on the phone, they hung up," Adkins said.
The sheriff warned residents, particularly the elderly, to beware of phone calls or letters notifying them that they have won a prize, particularly those requiring the exchange of money.
They are just preying on people, especially the elderly, he said.
While the incident remains under investigation, Adkins asked that anyone receiving similar calls should report it to his office at 601-656-1414.
