When Gene Beley said he knew it was too good to be true after receiving a call congratulating him for winning $7 million from Publishers Clearing House, and saying the award team was just 40 minutes away with the check.
Beley, an 81-year-old Stockton resident, told the caller he suspected fraud. But the caller had an answer ready — a separate phone number Beley could contact to “verify” the call was legitimate.
Since last year, multiple San Joaquin County residents have been contacted by someone claiming they won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes. Scams can disproportionately harm older people, who may live alone and be unable to recoup their losses after falling victim to fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
Beley eventually hung up on the fraudsters. But it was a smooth scam, he said.
“I mean, this is salesmanship 101 excellence,” he said. “They steer you into actually thinking, well, maybe there’s something to this.”
The scam
Beley called the phone number he was given to verify his winnings and was connected with someone named “Major.”
Major peppered Beley with questions. Did he want his check presented to him publicly, or privately? What would he do with the winnings? How would $7 million change his life?
“Every great salesperson has their method. And this guy’s method was asking questions,” Beley said.
Beley said he was sure the call was fraud when Major told him to go to the nearest drugstore and buy a “Visa Vanilla Card,” which the scammer…
