An 89-year-old Derby woman was cheated out of $5,000 after falling victim to a phone scam.
On Oct. 27 the woman told police she had received a call saying she won a $3 million prize in a sweepstakes. But to collect the prize, she had to wire $5,000 via Western Union to Oklahoma.
She wired the money, making her the latest victim in a phone scam that has targeted thousands of senior citizens in the U.S. over the years.
Derby detectives are investigating.
This particular scam has been around for decades, according to the American Association of Retired Persons — and specifically targets the elderly.
A 2003 report from the National Consumer League showed that 61 percent of the victims of sweepstakes scams were over the age of 60.
The elderly are frequently targeted by the con artists because they are often isolated from other people or in tough financial straights, according to the National Association of Triads, Inc., a group that seeks to protect seniors from being ripped off.
The Federal Trade Commission warns that any sweepstakes asking for money upfront is fraudulent.
Click here for more information on the scam and how to protect seniors from it.