Rural Brownsdale couple reports scam attempt; No money reported lost

Published 8:22 am Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Law enforcement is once again reminding residents to be on the lookout for scams after an elderly rural Brownsdale couple reported on Monday that they had been receiving constant phone calls from a scammer.

According to Mower County Senior Sgt. Investigator Steve Sandvik, the couple reported receiving phone calls from a man with a foreign accent, telling them they had won a lot of money and needed to pay $200 in order to collect it. The calls were made on a daily basis. Per the man’s suggestion, the couple eventually agreed to meet him at noon on Monday at the bank for the funds, then called the Mower County Sheriff’s Office.

One of the victims told deputies she was concerned because the man knew their address, Sandvik said. Deputies checked their caller ID, which showed multiple numbers from the same caller.

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Deputies were also sent to the bank, but did not find anyone. Bank employees said that no one suspicious was seen at the bank.

Sandvik said that contest winners do not have to pay money to receive their winnings and that you do not win contests that you don’t enter.

Anyone who is called by a scammer is encouraged to call the Mower County Law Enforcement Center at 507-437-9400.