Police in the North Kohala District received several reports and complaints of a telephone scam targeting Hawaii Island residents, according to the Hawaii Police Department.
A Kapaau resident received a telephone call on her cell phone Dec. 12 from a number possibly originating from Jamaica. The caller identified himself as an employee of Publishers Clearing House. He said the Kapaau resident had won $1.5 million and that in order to receive her prize she needed to pay $385 in taxes. She was then instructed to get a “scratch card” from Walmart and to mail it to him. Being suspicious, she reported the incident to police.
Police encourage the public to be cautious and aware of scams, and to call police if they are unsure whether a call is legitimate. Remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam, police said.
