By: Sabrina Ahmed
SAhmed@klkntv.com
The number of reports for scams are up in Nebraska. Officials say that means more people know it's a scam, but more people are also getting caught up in it.
For years, people have been getting emails, letters, checks in the mail, all saying it's their lucky day! They've won hundreds of thousands of dollars from an international lottery.
But then comes the fine print.
"They're being asked to send funds in advance to secure their winnings," Chief Deputy Jeff Bliemeister said.
While many people know it must be a hoax, the possibility of never working another day gets the best of a lot of recipients.
They send checks, sometimes in the tens of thousands of dollars, and never see anything in return. The numbers keep increasing, too.
"It's being reported more often, but also there are people being more successful in scamming people out of their money and therefore it's going to continue because, if they're successful, they're gonna keep trying."
Another scam we hear a lot about is when someone pretends to be someone's grandchild=d. They say they got arrested in another country and need money to be wired to them.
Before sending help, think if it could even be them.
Officials say to be cautious.
"Is this truly something that's gonna happen in today's society—is it something that's way too good to be true?"
Once the money's gone, it is almost always untraceable.
"The likelihood of ever recovering the funds or making an arrest is very limited," officials said.
Officials say victims are often times embarrassed for falling for these cons, but if you are a victim, it's important to report it.
