CHARLOTTE COUNTY ECONOMIC CRIMES DETECTIVES ARE INVESTIGATING A NEW SCAM THAT INVOLVES WINNING A LOTTERY AND A NEW CAR. SO FAR TWO CASES ARE BEING INVESTIGATED WHERE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAVE BEEN SENT TO A SCAMMER. DEPUTIES RECEIVED A CALL MONDAY FROM OFFICIALS AT CENTENNIAL BANK WHO SAID AN 88 YEAR OLD MAN WITHDREW $1250 FROM HIS BANK ACCOUNT TO PURCHASE GREEN DOT MONEY PAC CARDS FROM WALGREEN’S SO HE COULD RECEIVE A MILLION DOLLARS IN A LOTTERY. THE VICTIM GAVE THE CODES TO THE CALLER WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS MR. GOODMAN. THE CALLER FURTHER ENTICED THE MAN BY TELLING HIM HE HAD WON A NEW CAR OF HIS CHOICE. WHEN THE MAN CHOSE A CADILLAC, THE CALLER SAID HE NEEDED TO SEND ANOTHER $1250 SO HE COULD RELEASE THE CAR. THE TELLER AT THE BANK TOLD THE VICTIM IT WAS A SCAM, BUT HE WITHDREW THE MONEY ANYWAY. A SALESMAN FROM BILL BUCK CHEVROLET IN VENICE DROVE TO THE MAN’S RESIDENCE WITH A 2009 CADILLAC AND TOOK THE VICTIM FOR A TEST RIDE. THE VICTIM THEN CALLED MR. GOODMAN BACK AND WAS TOLD HE NEEDED ANOTHER $3000 TO RELEASE THE CAR. TELLERS STALLED THE MAN AND CALLED THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, WHO CONTACTED THE SALESMAN AT BILL BUCK. GOODMAN HAD CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SAID HE WANTED TO PURCHASE THE CAR FOR HIS UNCLE AND REQUESTED THE SALESMAN TO DRIVE IT TO HIM FOR A TEST DRIVE. DETECTIVES RECEIVED A SECOND COMPLAINT TUESDAY OF THE SAME NATURE AND ARE INVESTIGATING. IF YOU HAVE BEEN A VICTIM OF THE NEW SCAM, YOU CAN CALL THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE AT 639-2101, OR CRIME STOPPERS AT 800-780-TIPS.
