A Better Business Bureau scam?

By Laura Finaldi, Boston.com correspondent

Victims received calls from persons in Jamaica claming to be from the Better Business Bureau or other trusted groups, saying they had won some sort of grand prize – money, a car, etc. – but that they had to pay a fee to collect the prize. People often fell for this one because they believe the 876 area code for Jamaica is in the United States.

Fox News reported in April 2012 that the Jamaican and US governments set up a task force in 2009 to crack down on this problem, but since then it has only gotten worse. To solve this, BBB said to hang up the phone and file a phone fraud report with the correct government agency.