GOT A CALL FROM A "202" AREA CODE NUMBER, INFORMING ME THERE'S A PACKAGE AT JFK CUSTOMS, AND TO CALL THE "718" NOTED. WHEN CALLED, THEY SAID WE HAD A PACKAGE WITH A PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE CHECK FOR $685000, BUT WE HAD TO PAY ABOUT $5000 TO GET IT.
THEY TOLD US TO CALL A "516" TO VERIFY, WHICH WAS "SUPPOSEDLY" PUBLISHERS CLEARINGHOUSE IN PT. WASHINGTON NY - AND THEY SAID YES, BUT NOT THAT MUCH MONEY TO PAY.
WE CALLED BACK, AND THEY SAID THEY'D 'DROP" THE FEE TO $2500, BUT STILL SOUNDED WEIRD, SO WHEN THE "202" NUMBER CALLED BACK, WE SAID - NO INTEREST, AND DON'T WANT IT.
IF IT WAS LEGIT, THEN WE JUST MISSED GETTING $685,000. BUT I'D PREFER THEM TO COME AND GIVE IT TO ME IN PERSON WITH THE BALLOONS & STUFF, LIKE THEY ALWAYS SAY THEY WILL.
SOMETHING JUST SEEMED FISHY WITH THIS.
This thing is a giant scam targeting those ignorant or hopeful enough to actually believe they've won 685,000. No matter who you talk to it's the same story - Package waiting for you at JFK but you have to pay 1500 to pick it up. I feel sorry for anyone who buys into this. All the 'representatives' you speak to have thick Indian accents so I'd reckon they outsource all of their scam so that the authorities here can't touch them
I also received the call. I reported it to the FTC, Attorney General of VA and secret service. They say it happens all the time and vulnerable people pay. SS said you should also report it to the local police if you ended up paying.