WESTERN BUREAU:

The police High Command has intensified its efforts to clamp down on players in the lucrative 'lottery scam' which has been fleecing unsuspecting Americans of millions of dollars.

"We are talking about thousands of U.S. dollars coming in here every month through this type of scam," explained Assistant Commissioner of Police, Leslie Green, officer in charge of the Serious and Organised Crime portfolio.

"Montego Bay, from intelligence, certainly does seem to have higher incidences, although in Clarendon and St. Catherine we have had recent arrests of persons involved in this type of operation," Green added.

84-year-old victim

He revealed that the victims include an 84-year-old woman who was fleeced of US$127,000 (approximately J$8.2 million) over a period of time.

The British cop was speaking at a financial fraud sensitisation workshop in Montego Bay, which looked at the 'lottery scam' as well as credit card and ATM rackets operating across the island.

The lottery scam involves the use of illicitly obtained personal information about Americans, particularly retirees, to con them into sending money on the pretext that they have won a lottery and need to send money to clear their winnings.