Man loses $17,000 to scam

A 73-year-old Sunridge man reportedly sent $17,000 to the Philippines to collect what he believed would be a a half-million-dollar lottery payoff.

The victim's daughter contacted the sheriff's office Jan. 28 after she learned her father sent three $5,100 payments plus other fees for the bogus award.

Once she convinced him the lottery was a hoax, he contacted the Federal Trade Commission.

The victim said he was contacted Jan. 19 by a person who identified himself as George Bowman of Bowman and Associates law firm in New York City who said he won a $500,000 lottery prize.

He was told the money was coming from the Philippines and Bowman provided him with a toll-free number to the so-called Lottery and Gaming Commission.

He was instructed to wire $1,573.25 for processing fees to Hong Kong Savings Bank Corp. in care of Jeffery Asuncion in Manila which he did.

He complied with three more requests for money and sent a total of $15,300.

After his daughter convinced the victim of the fraud, he contacted Bowman who became very upset and said he violated a confidentiality clause and wouldn't be eligible for his winnings.

The victim said he was contacted the same day from a person claiming to be Officer William Bryant representing the fictitious State of Nevada Police who was investigating the fraud. The victim hung up on the man after he asked for personal information.

The case has been turned over to the Nevada Attorney General's office for information.

"If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (i.e. winning a sweepstakes or prize drawing that you never entered)," said Sgt. Jim Halsey. "Most importantly, never deposit unexpected funds from any source, nor pay any money to an unknown person or organization based upon some promise of monetary return or prize."