Andalusia residents should be on the lookout for a group of Publisher’s Clearinghouse impersonators – minus the balloons and looking to score some quick cash, Sgt. Jason Curry with Andalusia Police Department said Friday.

He said the department has received “several reports” of the phone scam, claiming the recipient has won some money and a car.

“The way it works is that the caller states you’ve won some money and a car,” Curry said. “You are then instructed to go to Wal-Mart and purchase a Green-Dot card and put a certain amount of money on it so that they can ‘pay the taxes on the car.’

“They tell the resident that once the money is paid, they will arrive 30 to 40 minutes later at your residence with the car,” he said. “Once they get the money, you never hear from them again. We’ve had no reports of anyone actually showing up at these residences.”

It’s unknown how the scammers target their victims.

“Locals should be on the lookout and not fall prey to this scam,” Curry said.

He again urged residents to remember, “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.”

“We also want to remind people to keep their doors locked, and if anyone calls you with kind of scam, please report it to us,” Curry said. “Everything we can document and learn gives us more information on how to stop this crime.”

To contact the APD, call 334-222-1155.