HARRISON COUNTY, Miss. — Investigators with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office intercepted $25,000 in cash tied to an IRS scam targeting an elderly woman, preventing additional financial losses, Sheriff Matt Haley said Thursday.
The sheriff’s office said the package was stopped at Premier Postal in Long Beach after an alert clerk grew suspicious. The woman entered the business to mail a poorly packaged parcel while speaking on the phone with a man who had a strong foreign accent and was directing her on shipping procedures, the office said.
The clerk discovered the parcel contained a large amount of cash and became concerned when the woman could not explain the recipient or justify the expedited shipping cost. The woman left before the package was sent, and the clerk, who had recently seen public warnings about scams, contacted investigators.
Deputies located the woman at her home, where she and a relative told investigators the payment was intended for the IRS to avoid arrest and additional penalties. Authorities determined the demand was fraudulent and learned the woman had previously sent more than $30,000 to scammers. The recovered $25,000 was returned to the victim, and the Department of Homeland Security is assisting the ongoing investigation.
Sheriff Haley urged residents to remain vigilant and said law enforcement and government agencies will never call to demand immediate payment, particularly in cash. Officials encourage anyone who suspects a scam or believes someone may be a victim to contact local law enforcement. This is a developing story and will be updated as more details emerge.
