PARIS – The Oxford County Sheriff’s Office said that the Canadian lottery scam is making its way around Oxford County.

Again.

Administrative assistant Linda Hooker said she received a call last week from an Oxford Hills resident saying a person called who identified himself as a U.S. Customs official and claimed that if the resident paid $1,800, he would receive a $100,000 prize he had won in the Canadian lottery. The fee was described as being 1.8 percent of the winnings.

Hooker said the caller identified himself as U.S. Customs Officer Schriner and gave his badge number as 3247. He even gave an address in Buffalo, N.Y.

“He had been told that he could wire the $1,800 to 416 Grand Blvd., Ontario,” Hooker said. “Then he was told that if he got the money, two men would come by his house in the morning to pick it up,” Hooker said.

At first, Hooker added, the man was excited. Then she told him it was a scam because it should not cost anything to win money.

Hooker then reported the incident to the Maine Attorney General’s Office.

“This is the same story happening over and over again,” Hooker said. “Someone trying to steal from the elderly.”

Hooker suggested if anyone has questions concerning lotteries or activities they consider shady, they should call the sheriff’s hot line at 1-800-733-1421.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com