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Sheriff Warns of Jamaican Scam in Putnam County
Putnam County Sheriff Donald B. Smith is cautioning residents of a scheme to defraud which has surfaced in Putnam County originating from the Island of Jamaica.
Last week a Lake Carmel resident came to the Sheriff's Office and met with Investigator Nicholas DePerno, Jr. of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to report receiving a suspicious telephone call. The caller, who had a heavy Jamaican accent, identified himself as "John Carter." He advised the potential victim that he won a flat-screen television set and ninety thousand dollars in cash and was told that in order to collect his winnings, he was to go to his bank and withdraw funds to cover shipping and handling costs. He was further instructed to go to the nearest A&P food store and wire the money to a Jamaican address.
While being interviewed by the investigator, the complainant received another telephone call from "Mr. Carter" on the potential victim's cellular telephone. Investigator DePerno determined that the call originated from the Island of Jamaica and that at times the caller uses names other than "John Carter." The investigator spoke directly with the suspect on the cellular telephone and demanded that the caller cease making further telephone calls of this nature to others.
On March 26, 2008, a Carmel resident came to the Sheriffs Office to make a similar complaint. Once again the caller, having a Jamaican accent, informed the homeowner that he had won one million dollars in cash. Before acting on the caller's instructions, the Carmel man contacted Investigator DePerno and received instructions as to the best way of handling this activity.
Sheriff Smith warns Putnam County residents of this illegal activity occurring in our communities. Anyone receiving telephone calls of this nature is urged not to withdraw funds from their bank accounts or give the caller any personal information, such as social security numbers, banking information or dates of birth. This bogus winning scheme is aimed at defrauding unsuspecting people from their money. "Remember the old adage, if an offer seems too good to be true, it usually is," Sheriff Smith concluded.
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