Once victimized, Det. Lusk said that the SPPD’s “main concern is the well-being of the persons involved and to direct them to social services for any kind of counseling they need.” Such needs can center on not only the loss of funds, but to also alleviate the victim’s loss of self-respect and depression.Banks can help to stop customers from becoming scam victims. “If someone comes in and wants to withdraw $10,000 or so, it’s probably a good idea for the bank employee to be aware,” especially if the customer has shown signs of senility, to “get as much information as they can to perhaps notify a family member. Obviously, I’m not saying that people are not entitled to withdraw their money, but if a bank employee feels there is something wrong there probably is. The person could be being scammed... or even being robbed.”Scamming has become widespread, a “non-discriminative crime that reaches border to border.... Let’s say the scammer makes 50 phone calls a day, if 48 people hang up but two people fall for it the scammer calls it a successful day.”Det. Lusk urged “if anybody does become a victim of a scam that they do report it to the police. We need the documentation if there are certain services that need to be developed or utilized, whether outside agencies or departmental information meetings.”And the SPPD has some good advice: “Don’t respond to these scams... there’s no money coming. This is a preventable crime that if you had more knowledge about it and knew it was a scam it wouldn’t work. This couple’s unfortunate mistakes hopefully can prevent somebody else from becoming a victim.”
Santa Paula couple loses $88,000 to Canadian lotto telephone scam
February 23, 2007
Santa Paula Police Department
An elderly Santa Paula couple is out $88,000 after being victimized by a fake lottery scam, according to a Santa Paula Police Department spokesman, who said that such cases that originate outside the United States are impossible to prosecute.
By Peggy KellySanta Paula TimesAn elderly Santa Paula couple is out $88,000 after being victimized by a fake lottery scam, according to a Santa Paula Police Department spokesman, who said that such cases that originate outside the United States are impossible to prosecute. Det. David Lusk said that he was notified Friday by a relative of the victims who reported the crime on their behalf.“Someone calls, says they are the winner of the Canadian lottery and all they have to do is pay the taxes... when they pay the taxes there is money from the lottery,” Det. Lusk noted. This scam is believed to originate in Nigeria, “where the SPPD does not have jurisdiction... even if we had we’d never find them,” as the scammers are using Canada as the point of mail routing.“All law enforcement would find there is a post office box,” where the funds land before they are transferred from account to account. In cases of foreign scams, “There is really no way to investigate, there are no suspects and chances are the money is routed through two or three countries before it gets to the final location.”Apparently the $88,000 was lost over a period of time as the couple kept receiving requests to continue to send money to claim the lottery prize. “The couple thought the money was on the way,” and Det. Lusk said it is difficult to gauge just why they kept sending funds when asked.“What makes the scam work is that people have faith in them; if it didn’t work it wouldn’t be a scam and they’ll keep using what works.” Most of the victims are the elderly, who often are not only more trusting but also rely more on luck to offset their lack of earning power.
