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Scammer Pretends To Be Oklahoma Attorney General

August 8, 2007

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What if the attorney general of your state called to verify that you had won a lottery? Would you feel reassured? If so, you might easily become the victim of a brazen scam.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson issued a consumer alert this week after his office received a complaint from a consumer who was notified she had won $800,000 in a Reader’s Digest lottery. She then received a call from someone purporting to be Attorney General Edmondson, who said he could verify the legitimacy of her winnings.

“The consumer was notified by phone that she had won this huge sum of money and that she needed to immediately wire $1,200 in taxes to Canada,” Edmondson said. “She subsequently received a call from someone who pretended to be me, who told her if she would send the money, she would receive her winnings.”

The woman became suspicious when the attorney general imposter could not tell her if he was a Republican or a Democrat. She did not send any money but instead reported the scam to the attorney general’s office.

“This office has worked hard to advocate for consumers, so it bothers me a great deal that someone would use my name in this way,” Edmondson said. “We are investigating this scam, and if we are able to track this con man down, it’s a sure bet he will get more than a call from the attorney general’s office; he will get to meet one of our investigators face to face.”

Edmondson said he does not make calls to verify sweepstakes winnings, but he said consumers can call his office’s Consumer Protection Unit -- or a consumer protection agency in their state -- if they suspect they may have been victimized.

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