PAW PAW, Mich. (WOOD) — State police say a man was arrested in New Jersey, extradited to Michigan and charged for his role in a fake Publishers Clearing House scam that targeted a Van Buren County resident.
Troopers said the arrest followed a monthslong investigation, which revealed that the victim — a 72-year-old woman from Van Buren County — picked up a phone call and was falsely told that she had won $5.5 million in a Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes.
“The caller claimed she needed to pay taxes upfront to receive the winnings, convincing her to mail over $200,000 to multiple addresses,” the Michigan State Police wrote in a release.
5 signs it’s a scam call before you even pick up, according to an expert
Investigators found that nearly half of that money — more than $90,000 — was sent to a man in New Jersey…