A former Hawaii TV news anchor says she was left feeling “ashamed” after scammers conned her out of nearly $60,000 with a fake Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes prize.
Linda Coble, 79, who made history as Hawaii’s first female TV anchor in 1971, said she fell victim to an elaborate scam after receiving a phone call in March from a man identifying himself as “Mike Diamond” from US Customs.
“I had won the sweepstakes at Publishers Clearing House — $5,500,000,” Coble told Hawaii News Now.
“And before they send me the check, I had all these steps to go through.”
“How do you think I would feel?” she added. “Well, I kind of dig it and I kind of believe it.”
Over several weeks, the caller directed her to send checks and money orders to cover taxes and fees tied to the supposed cash prize while insisting she keep everything secret so she wouldn’t ruin the surprise.
The scammer’s persistence eventually wore her down. She said that the con artist’s “consistency” and “friendship” endeared him to her.
“He was very friendly on the phone, would call pretty much daily,” Coble told Hawaii News Now.
The operation became even more convincing when another woman calling herself “Gail O’Brien” repeatedly vouched for the caller’s credibility.
Coble also received letters and emails from people claiming to work for the IRS and the US Marshals Office.
She admitted she never verified any of their identities.
“I trusted them,” she said.
Coble said that the scammers “did a wonderful job of building that kind of familial kind of relationship through all the steps of my spending my money in order to win my prize that would be unveiled at the Bank of Hawaii.”
The scammers even mailed her what appeared to be a cashier’s check for $5.5 million to create the illusion the winnings were real.
“I was overwhelmed with kindness, support, encouragement, excitement constantly from the scammers,” Coble said.
“And I didn’t realize that I had already made such a mistake. And I was embarrassed to tell anybody.”
It wasn’t until she ran out of money and the scammers demanded another $20,000 payment to “insure” the prize that she realized she was being conned.
Coble said by that time, she had lost a whopping $60,000.
“And I had to take my IRA out of my account and put it in the bank. I had to cancel my Prudential and put all that money in the bank, money I had saved and earned. And now it’s gone.”
“I should have called my friends, my family,” she added. “I should have called the bank.”
