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Muskegon couple lost hundreds of dollars in lottery scam

One sheet said they had won $915,000. Another said it was from the Department of Homeland Security.

An elderly couple from Muskegon says they were scammed by a man claiming to be from the FBI.

It’s a new twist to a common scam. The lottery scam mixed with the imposter scam.

The phone call came in with the promise of big bucks.

"I said that's great. It will help me get caught up on my bills,” said Verna Braden. She says the caller sounded legitimate. He had no foreign accent and told her he was with the FBI. "He says you have won something, but I can't tell you exactly what it is."

The male caller said he had been investigating a lottery that the Braden’s won in 2016. He told them he would fax them the paperwork. One sheet said they had won $915,000. Another said it was from the Department of Homeland Security.

"You know, hopefully it is true, we could use the money." But first, Verna had to pay taxes. She was told to send $640 to GPD Brokers in Miami. 13 ON YOUR SIDE found out it's a UPS store with individual mail boxes inside. A few days later, Verna got a call. "They said yes, we do have the check here, but we cannot deliver it until you pay $245."

At that point, the Braden's knew it was likely a scam. The phone calls stopped. "Didn't hear nothing, so I called back and you get a recording."

Verna and her husband Duane want to make sure other people, specifically the elderly, don't fall for similar scams.

Here are some tips from the Federal Trade Commission:

  • Talk to someone. Before you give up your money or personal information, talk to a family member.
  • Don't pay upfront for a promise. Someone might pressure you to pay something right away. If you do, they will probably take the money and run.
  • Spot imposters. Scammers often pretend to be someone you trust. "Let the people know, it's not, even though it sounds like it is, it's not,” said Duane.

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