A 75-year-old Rhode Island woman mailed $27,000 after callers posing as Publishers Clearing House representatives told her she had won $10.5 million. Instead of receiving the prize, she was asked for another $57,000, she told NBC 10 in a November 4 interview.
The Cranston resident said the callers contacted her repeatedly over several weeks. She believed the promised winnings could provide financial security for her children.
Rhode Island State Police arrested Damion M. Graham, 39, of Lodi, New Jersey, on October 19 after he surrendered to the Financial Crimes Unit. The department’s October 20 announcement listed two charges involving alleged financial exploitation of a person older than 65.
Callers Promised Millions and Offered to Trade a Mercedes for a Truck
The first call came to the woman’s landline, she told NBC 10. The caller claimed that representatives had tried to reach her for weeks and warned that her supposed winnings could be donated to charity if they could not locate her.
About 10 minutes later, a second man called and identified himself as an agent handling the prize. The callers kept in touch with updates over the following weeks, and the woman said she came to trust them.
She was also promised a new Mercedes-Benz but told the callers she wanted to get a truck for her son instead. They agreed to the change, according to her account.
A Second Payment Demand Prompted Her to Contact Police
The woman said she mailed $27,000 after being told she needed to pay processing fees to claim the winnings. The promised money and vehicle never arrived; instead, the callers blamed delays in preparing the prize check and arranging delivery of the car.
When the callers demanded another $57,000, the woman consulted her son and reported the suspected scheme to police. She told NBC 10 she provided investigators with names, telephone numbers, photographs and a recording.
The woman said the arrest gave her some relief, but she remains concerned about recovering the $27,000 she already sent. She hopes the criminal proceedings will lead to restitution.
Graham’s Court Record Lists Two Felonies and a Passport Surrender Order
NBC 10 reported that Rhode Island State Police accused Graham of posing as a Publishers Clearing House representative. The two-page Third Division District Court case summary identifies the proceedings as State of Rhode Island v. Damion Graham, case 32-2026-06992, filed October 19. It lists two felony charges: larceny involving more than $10,000 and exploitation of an elder involving more than $500 but less than $100,000. The docket records that no plea was entered that day.
Graham appeared before Magistrate Joseph P. Ippolito Jr. on October 19, when the court set $50,000 surety bail and required him to surrender his passport. The case summary lists a $50,000 property bond as posted and schedules a screening hearing for January 25, 2027, at 9 a.m.
Publishers Clearing House Warns That Winners Never Have to Pay
Publishers Clearing House says it does not call people to announce prizes or require payment to claim winnings. The Federal Trade Commission warns that impostors may demand supposed taxes, shipping costs or processing fees before releasing prizes that do not exist.
Anyone receiving such a call can check the claim using contact information obtained independently, rather than a number supplied by the caller, and report suspected fraud at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. People aged 60 or older who have lost money can also contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 for help with reporting and next steps.