A KJAN listener in Griswold wants to warn area residents about a re-occurring phone scam. The woman said she received a call Friday afternoon on her land-line, from “Publishers Clearing House” (PCH), saying she was the “2nd  Place Winner of $155 million dollars,” along with a “Set for Life” payment of $5,500 each month for rest of her life, as well as a new pickup truck with 18 months of free insurance, free gasoline and service and a tire card, all for 18 months.

The caller – who identified himself as “James Miller,” from Afton, TX. – gave the woman Price Code and Check Cash numbers. Fortunately, the woman was suspicious. She asked him why the people with the balloons weren’t the ones to tell me. He told her they were in the area they were planning on coming in one hour and 35 minutes. He then asked her to purchase a gift card at Wal-Mart.  The woman, knowing by then the call was a scam, hung-up the phone.

PCH and other legitimate businesses, will never ask you to purchase a gift card, submit any personal information, or account information, over the phone, by text or e-mail. If you get unsolicited calls that seem too good to be true, hang-up and notify your local authorities. If the person contacting you shows a caller-ID, take that number down and provide to law enforcement. The number was probably spoofed, but it couldn’t hurt to have police check it out.