Attorney General Kelly Ayotte warns consumers throughout the State that once again they are being targeted by unscrupulous con-men who are trying to cheat them out of their hard-earned money.

The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau of the Attorney General’s Office is continuing to receive complaints from consumers, many of whom are elderly, that they are receiving telephone calls from individuals who tell them that they are about to receive a large amount of money. The catch: in order to receive the money, they must send money. Usually, they are asked to wire money to an address out of the country, such as Canada or elsewhere. Once the consumer wires the requested amount of money, they receive nothing in return.

The individuals who call may identify themselves as calling from a government agency such as the IRS. They may also tell you that the money they will send you comes from some sort of grant. They might ask you for your social security number, bank account numbers, and credit card numbers. There are many approaches they may take in an effort to separate you from your money. No matter how legitimate the caller may sound to you, it is a scam.

Attorney General Ayotte has this warning for consumers. “If you are told by anyone that you have to send money in order to receive a larger amount of money, this is a scam. Once the money is sent, it is almost impossible to get it back. The individuals conducting this scam are using cell phones and telephone cards, which are virtually impossible to trace.”

If you are contacted by anyone and asked to send money in order to receive money, simply hang up the telephone. Call the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau at 271-3641 to report any information you may have obtained from the telephone caller.