Troy Woman Scammed Out Of Nearly $700K: Police

TROY, MI — A Troy woman was swindled out of nearly $700,000 in a monthslong scam, according to police.

The woman told officers earlier this month she received mail telling her that she had won the "Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes," and that in order to claim the prize, she needed an attorney assigned to her case, according to police.

Over the next several months, the "attorney" swindled $669,500 from the woman by claiming the payments were to secure her winnings and pay storage fees for the vehicle she had supposedly won, according to police.

The woman then told a friend about the payments, and the friend told her she believed it was a scam, according to police.

The woman then reported the payments to police on March 17, according to police.