Warren man says scam cost him $37,000

WARREN, Ohio - Detectives are investigating claims from a Warren man that he lost tens of thousands of dollars through a telephone scam.
A police report says the 80-year-old victim told an officer that someone began calling him back in June telling him that he won a large amount of money from an organization called “Awards International”.
The caller, who the victim does not know, claimed that the amount of the “prize” was confidential, and he would have to pay attorney fees to collect the award.
The victim said he told the caller he believed he was being scammed. However, after receiving repeated phone calls, he eventually believed the suspect.
The victim said he began sending money from prepaid money cards through Chase Bank. He also obeyed the caller’s demand to get cashier’s checks and deposit them into Chase Bank accounts
The caller promised he would deliver the award on Friday. When the award did not appear, the victim called police.
The victim believes he was scammed out of at least $37,000 since June. The police report says the amount could be as much as $50,000.
Police told the victim to contact his bank.