PITTSBURGH, Pa. – August and Betty Thalman can't believe they got caught up in a lottery sweepstakes scam, which is becoming one of the most popular scams in the country.
"We could see there was something shady going on and we couldn't quite see what was going on," said August.
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The two were told they won a car and all they needed to do was pay the taxes and fees to get it.
"He wanted you to get a certain kind of money on a card," said Betty.
They bought Green Dot cards and when the man called, he asked for the number on the back. With that number, the con-artist could access the money deposited on the card.
"The offer was made so well in the beginning, it was easy to go along," said August. "We thought we really got something."
"When somebody says, 'This is how the man wanted me to mail it,' something isn't right," warned Postmaster General Beth Hickey.
Hickey felt the envelope and knew cash was inside. she asked August to come into her office and gave him the bad news.
"I know this is a scam," Hickey told him. "Let me call the postal inspector to talk to you and your wife."
In all, the couple lost $700, but it could have been much more if someone hadn't intervened.
The Thalman's say they did trust the voice on the phone, but they were also intimidated.
"This couple was from a generation that trusted people," said Mayle. "They will use GoogleEarth and look up what their house looks like. They will tell the victim I see your house, I know where you live and actually describe the house, you live in a white brick house. The victim will be very afraid thinking they are in their neighborhood when in fact they are in a different country."
Some advice from postal inspectors: Remind friends and family that no legitimate lottery will ever ask for money upfront. You should never have to pay to win or claim a prize.