RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) - Rutherford County residents are being urged to stay alert after the Better Business Bureau reported a scam involving callers who falsely claim consumers have won millions of dollars in prize money. According to the BBB, one recent case involved a caller identifying himself as the "Executive Manager for the Tennessee BBB." The caller told a consumer she had won $3.5 million and instructed her to visit a nearby convenience store and purchase a Green Dot prepaid card in order to receive the money. Fortunately, the consumer recognized the request as suspicious and ended the call without sending any money.

BBB officials later confirmed the call was fraudulent. Investigators found the phone number was linked to a Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, service, making it difficult to trace the person behind the scam.

"Scammers often use the names of trusted organizations to make their stories sound convincing," said Robyn Householder, president and CEO of BBB serving Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky. "BBB does not call people to announce unexpected lottery winnings or require consumers to purchase prepaid cards to collect a prize."

Officials say the scam follows a familiar pattern. A caller claims the recipient has won a lottery, sweepstakes, or contest, then asks for money or prepaid card information before the prize can be released. Once gift card numbers or PINs are shared, the funds can be drained quickly and are often impossible to recover.

The BBB reminds Rutherford County residents that legitimate contests do not require winners to pay fees or purchase prepaid cards to claim a prize. Consumers should be especially cautious of unsolicited calls and should independently verify any claims by contacting organizations directly using official phone numbers or websites.

Anyone who receives a suspicious call is encouraged to report it tO the BBB Scam Tracker at BBB.org/ScamTracker. The reports help consumer watchdogs identify trends and warn others before additional people become victims.

The bottom line: If someone says you've won millions but first needs money from you, it's almost certainly a scam.