Alert Fort Lauderdale SSA Stops Lottery Scam for Senior Citizen

Fort Lauderdale Main Office Sales and Services Associate Sabrina Rodgers (fourth from right) was recognized for going above and beyond the call of duty in preventing a customer from falling victim to a Jamaican Lottery scam. From left, Fort Lauderdale Manager, Customer Service Operations Gwen Branch; Sales and Services Associate Mildred Frazier; Fort Lauderdale Main Office Carrier Annex Acting Manager, Customer Services Jordan Beabout; Assistant Postal Inspector In Charge Delany De Leon-Colon; Postal Inspector In Charge Tony Gomez; Rodgers; Supervisor, Customer Services Sherman Mosley; Postal Inspection Service Intelligence Analyst Brian Schellhase; and Postal Inspector/Team Leader Del Alvarez. Photo: Fort Lauderdale Customer Relations Coordinator Kelly Worthman

 

At approximately 1 p.m. on November 6, 2017, a customer came to the retail counter at the Fort Lauderdale Main Office and told Sales and Services Associate Sabrina Rodgers that she wanted to send something overnight.

Rodgers asked her what she wanted to mail, and the customer handed her a paper that contained $1,500 in cash wrapped inside it. The customer further explained that it was a payment for Publisher’s Clearing House winnings --- money she owed.

Rodgers immediately was suspicious and notified Postal Inspection Service Intelligence Analyst Brian Schellhase whose office is in the same building. Shellhase interviewed the customer in the manager’s office and determined that this customer was a victim of a Jamaican Lottery scam. While Schellhase was explaining the scam to the customer, the scammer repeatedly called, but the customer did not answer her phone.

The customer was extremely grateful for the prompt and alert response that Rodgers provided. Had  Rodgers not questioned her regarding what she wanted to send, the 87 year-old customer, like so many unsuspecting seniors, would have lost the money. In this case, a local senior citizen was getting scammed and then sending the money outside of our area --- to Lithonia, GA  --- per the scammer’s instructions. Appropriate notifications regarding the suspect’s address were made to Inspection Service personnel in Atlanta, GA.  
 
"Sabrina's actions and response are noteworthy and are commendable,” said Miami Division Inspector In Charge Tony Gomez. “There are not enough words to thank her."