Man loses $12,000 in $2M prize scam

A 57-year-old Sioux Falls man mailed $12,000 in cash to men for three days before a family member helped him realize it was a scam.

Police spokesman Sam Clemens said the man received a call Monday that he had won $2 million, a car and a television. The caller said he needed to send a small amount of cash to cover fees and taxes before he could get the prizes.

Clemens said the man also talked to other callers, who kept asking for cash before the prizes could be awarded. The man went to his bank and withdrew money on four occasions over three days, sending it in USPS Priority Mail envelopes to an address they gave him.

On Wednesday, the man called a relative and they realized he was being scammed. Clemens said the victim called police and gave them the names of the men and the address where he had been sending the cash.

“This is pretty unusual,” Clemens said. “Most times it’s wiring money or prepaid cards. There is some hope we can track down who these people are.”