Police are issuing a warning about a new phone scam that is starting to call into our area.  This warning comes after a few people in Southeast Idaho received calls asking them to immediately send money.

At first the scam seems like it might be a legitimate call from a government agency, but after listening closer, it becomes apparent that the caller is just after a quick buck.

Randy Broadhead of Pocatello received a call on his business phone telling him that he had hit the jackpot.

The caller claimed that randy had won $500,000 in a Las Vegas sweepstakes.  The caller also introduced himself as an employee of the Federal Bureau of Consumer Protection Affairs, a made up agency.  The caller claimed that bureau was different from the Bureau of Consumer Protection that actually exists.

Randy Broadhead, avoided phone scam: "How I was targeted, I have no clue.  They got my name from who knows where, and knew I was a businessman."

Randy was told that he needed to send 1% of the prize money up front, before his half million dollars could be processed.  He was also told that Prudential Life Insurance was handling his claim to send the money immediately.

At that point Randy contacted the Pocatello Police Department who confirmed his suspicions.

Randy: "We've heard this very same scam multiple times.  Yours is a little bit different twist, but we've heard this many, many times." 

Police are concerned about this latest phone scam because the callers are using the names of real businesses.  Newschannel 6 was unable to contact anyone at the 1-800 number that Randy received the scam call from.  A receptionist told us that no one was available to answer questions.

A lady in Pocatello recently received a similar call and was scammed out of $5,000.