Fake police scamming victims, no sweepstakes winners here

ARVADA - People pretending to be US Marshals or other law enforcement are calling Coloradans saying they've won the Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes and need to deliver the $90,000 prize. The only catch; you first have to wire them $450 in insurance before the US Marshals will bring you the money.

"The guy seemed like he really knew what he was talking about," said Bill Apple of Arvada who answered the call from the police impersonators. "He made you feel like it was pretty authentic."

Bill and his wife Karen smelled a rat and refused to play along with the caller after he claimed to be in Littleton, Colorado, then asked what time it was in Colorado. The Apples then called the US Marshals office in Denver and Arvada Police to find out if it was a scam.

"I called the US Marshals because, shoot, if it's true, OK, maybe you know just blew $90,000, who knows. But they said absolutely no," said Karen Apple.

"This is the first one I've heard of where it was somebody impersonating an actual law enforcement officer," said Sgt. Jeff Monzingo of the Arvada Police Department. "It's always concerning when people use credentials like that to try to get people to go along with their scam."

Sgt. Monzingo says elderly people tend to be most trusting with law enforcement and therefore, are more likely to fall victim to the scam and wire money to the callers.

"The first thing to remember if that sweepstakes cost nothing to enter. So if they tell you that there is a fee to either enter or collect your prize, it's a scam," Sgt. Monzingo said.

Police don't know how many people have believed the impersonators and lost their money. The Apples worry it will happen a lot.

"The thing that scares me more than anything is with the economy right now, I don't know anybody who wouldn't trade $450 for $90,000. And there's too many people who can't afford $450," said Karen Apple. "It just irritates me that somebody would try to scam somebody else that way."

The callers blocked their phone numbers and refused to provide call back information to the Apples. Experts say that means the scam artists could be calling from out of state or out of the country and would be hard to track down.

In Colorado, it's a class 6 felony to impersonate peace officers, according to Sgt. Monzingo.

Arvada Police say you can tell if an officer is legitimate by getting their name, their badge number and supervisor number, then doing some homework. Call their office and boss and verify that they have credentials.

While the Apples are glad they didn't fall for the scam, they are a little disappointed they didn't win the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes.

"There's no good luck charm on my door, I don't think," said Bill Apple. "The only one is my wife."