Calhoun, Ga., police are investigating an international fraud ring after several residents were conned into sending money to a fake company out of the U.S.
Police Chief Garry Moss said the department has been receiving multiple complaints from residents who have fallen for a scam that they were lottery winners.
One 85-year-old resident sent a $5,000 check to an out of the country address that claimed in a letter they had won the lottery, but first needed to pay taxes on the check, said police spokesman Lt. Tony Pyle.
The police department believes this scam is just one variation of many known as the Nigerian letter, Pyle said. The department is cautioning residents to contact the police department before making a transaction from an unknown source.