Publisher’s Clearinghouse Scam Costs Lufkin Woman $15,000

According to a Lufkin Police press release, an elderly woman reported losing $15,000 in a Publishers Clearinghouse scam over the last six months. 

She said that in June she was contacted by a man who said she won $3.5 million from Publisher's Clearing House. He told her that she needed to send $8,000 to collect her prize money so she took out a loan and mailed a check. She did not hear back from that man for a while, but eventually another man contacted her and told her to send another $7,000 to collect her prize money. She took out another loan and sent a check.

Her contact with the men occurred between June to October from 876-340-8325. She never received the prize money and eventually reported it in hopes that no one else would fall victim to the scam. She is still making payments on the loans.

Lufkin Police also report the arrest of Michael Johnson, 35, for DWI after nearly colliding with a marked Lufkin Police Department patrol vehicle while pulling out of a night club parking lot. The officer was in the 300 block of North Timberland Drive when Johnson failed to yield the right of way and nearly hit a patrol vehicle. The officer slammed his brakes and avoided a collision. When he initiated a traffic stop on Johnson's vehicle, Johnson stopped in the middle of the road and did not pull to the side. Upon making contact with Johnson, the officer could smell alcohol. Johnson said he had three beers at the night club he had just left. An Intoxilyzer test showed his BAC to be .21 at the time of his arrest.