The New Martinsville Police Department announced recently a popular Jamaican lottery scam has hit the New Martinsville area. The NMPD received a call from a concerned citizen being harassed by a caller from Kingston, Jamaica, claiming she won $2 million. In this particular scenario, the number the man used was 876-577-0973. The man with a thick Jamaican dialect called himself Benny White.

The citizen received the first call nearly two weeks ago and has been persistently contacted by the same man to collect her so-called winnings. White asked her to make out a money order to send to an address in Florida and then meet in person to exchange the money order receipt for a $2 million check.

The NMPD contacted White who stressed to the police the lottery was legitimate. After some phone calls back and forth, officers attempted to get White to make the transaction at the police station but White has so far failed to show.

Scams similar to this one tend to seek out gullible persons with land line phone numbers. Never assume a call like this is safe or legitimate and never give out personal information of any kind to unknown persons or organizations.

If you are called by a similar case, the NMPD advises not to send any money or give out information, and report the call to them immediately at 304-455-9100.