http://www.wisn.com/video/18787924/index.html

Greendale Man Loses Thousands To Scammers

POSTED: 8:08 pm CST February 23, 2009
UPDATED: 3:56 pm CST February 25, 2009

GREENDALE, Wis. -- A Greendale family is under siege after losing thousands to international scammers, promising big prize money for a small processing fee.

Police said they busted one player in the scam, but emails and calls to the victim continue non-stop. WISN 12 News is only using the victim’s first name so that he is not a target for others.

There appears to be a hotline from Jamaica to Sam's home. On the other end of the line are ongoing promises of prize money.

Sam said he fell for the scam last month and wired $3,500 in hopes of collecting $1.8 million in prize money. He went to police after the calls for cash continued.

Police followed the wire to a Georgia man named Mark Martin, who used his own identification to pick up the cash. Martin is in custody, a suspect in several such hustles. Police said he told them he was a middleman for a group out of Jamaica.

Despite the Georgia arrest, the calls keep coming. Monday morning, a caller promised a check would arrive at Sam’s home this afternoon.

“He said stay where you are, we're either at or reaching the airport now to deliver the check,” Sam said.

But another call announced a problem at customs -- nothing a little more money couldn't resolve.

Sam's daughter said she's repeatedly confronted the callers but they won't stop.

Not even word the news was watching deterred them.

“This is legal and legitimate, 100% legitimate,” the caller said, when 12 News Colleen Henry spoke to them.

Sam wants to warn others that these scam artists are persuasive and persistent.

“You could be a victim of theirs, and the reason that I’m coming public with it is to protect others in our state, in case, I know they're in many states and if they haven't got a good foothold in Wisconsin, at least we'll be able to keep some of this activity out of our clean state,” Sam said.

Sam believes he will have to change his phone number to make the calls stop. It’s unlikely he will get his money back. Georgia police said unless Martin can lead them to his Jamaican contacts, Sam’s $3,500 is gone for good.

Police warn that no legitimate prize will require you to pay fees up front to collect.