The Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office is warning citizens of a telephone scam targeting the elderly.

According to a press release from Sheriff Jeff Lawless, his office has received several phone calls over the last week from elderly people who were targeted by someone claiming they had won a lottery or a large amount of money.

The alleged scam artist is then advising that in order to receive the large amount of money, the person has to pay for the package of money when it is delivered at a cost of $400 to $500, the release stated.

The alleged scam artist gives dates and times the package will arrive and when no package comes but the caller continues to give excuses as to why and then begins to ask for credit card numbers and personal information.

“This serves as a reminder for all citizens to never give your personal information or credit card information to anyone that you did not initiate that business with,” Lawless said in the release. “The elderly are always targets of these types of scams because they tend to trust the information the caller is providing. If you receive one of these calls, hang up on the caller immediately. Do not give them any of your personal information. If it sounds too good to be true, it is.”

If you feel you have been a victim of fraud, contact your local law enforcement agency or the sheriff’s office at 532-3525.