International Scammers Prowling on East Providence Residents

 are warning residents to be wary when approached with get-rich-quick schemes and requests for money from people oversees. 

On Thursday, an 83-year-old woman at Goldsmith Manor was scammed out of $400 after a caller said she won a raffle and she needed to send the money via Western Union to Jamaica to claim her prize.

"Unfortunately she did and will never see the money again," wrote Det. Capt. Richard Frazier in an e-mail.

Another resident of Rumford Towers sent $1,394.22 to a person whom she was corresponding with on the Internet via Western Union on Thursday. The person claimed he was in the military in Afghanistan and needed the money for a plane ticket back to the United States. She sent the money to somewhere in Cyprus, wrote Det. Capt. Frazier. 

Police are cautioning people to be suspicious and contact the police with any information regarding scams.