Hawaii Island police are warning the public about a telephone scam claiming the recipient has won a large monetary prize.
The caller claims to be a representative from a well-known publishing company and congratulates the recipient for supposedly winning its sweepstakes. One such caller claimed a Kaʻu resident’s phone number had been selected in a drawing. The caller then attempts to obtain the recipient’s name, and he or she asks for a “processing fee” to be sent through a money transfer service to an individual in Jamaica.
The public is advised not to provide information or money based on a claim of sweepstakes winnings in contests they never entered. Furthermore, legitimate companies do not ask winners to pay a “processing fee” to collect a prize.