Contact 6: Scam via mail claims individuals have won millions

MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- FOX6's Contact 6 is issuing an alert about a mailer telling individuals they have won millions -- and thousands are learning the hard way that this mailer is a scam.

Betty Klassen was devastated to learn she and her husband were scammed out of thousands of dollars.

"I believed them that it was a real thing and it was going to make our lives different. He said I won $3 million and if I sent $5,000 I could collect the money, so I sent him the money," Klassen said.

Klassen, a former teacher, sent money orders and cash cards to the address she was provided. Then, they asked for more money.

Klassen admits she really thought she had won a prize until her children forced her to face the truth.

"I told them I thought I was going to make a lot of money, and they said 'Mom, that is a scam,'" Klassen said.

Klassen's children immediately contacted postal inspectors who started tracking the case. Inspectors say Klassen is not alone.

In Klassen's case, the con men not only took her money, but also stole her trust.

"What broke my heart is she didn`t want to answer the phone because she didn`t want to be scammed again," U.S. Postal Inspector Michael Roberto said.

Klassen says she wished she had talked with her children about what she was doing much earlier in the process and that, she believes, could have saved her a lot of money.