09:01 AM PDT on Tuesday, June 22, 2004

Associated Press

TURNER, Ore. -- Police in the Salem suburb of Turner are investigating a rash of complaints about a man who has been calling local residents and promising them a large check from Reader's Digest magazine, then wheedling thousands of dollars out of his victims.

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Police have taken 10 reports in the past two weeks about the caller.

Jan Margosian, a spokeswoman for the Oregon Attorney General's office, said the man will likely begin calling other Oregon towns.

Apparently, he tells victims they have won a prize for subscribing to Reader's Digest, but that they must wire him $40 to $2,000 to cover administrative fees and taxes in order to collect the prize.

Turner has a large population of elderly people and the scam artist apparently is targeting that group, said Don Taylor, a Turner police officer.

Margosian said that most criminals using such stories are out-of-state and use a stolen wireless phone to make their pitch.