A Town of Merrill man has become the victim of a scam and law enforcement is once again reminding residents to educate themselves and others about these scams which mostly prey on the elderly.
The man reported to law enforcement that he had been contacted two weeks earlier by scammers and told he won $25 million dollars in the lottery but needed to send in $6,500 to cover taxes. The scammers told him to use a green dot card to send the money, which the man did. Pre-paid cards such as green and red dot cards are favored by thieves because they are untraceable and the money is available instantly.
After sending the $6,500, the man was contacted again and told he won a new home but this time needed to pay $37,000 in taxes and fees. The victim went to a local bank and was trying to apply for a loan for the money when alert bank employees caught on and helped the victim contact law enforcement.
Deputies will work with federal law enforcement but the chances of recovering the money are bleak.