Residents in Marengo County should be aware of a phone scam circulating, which tells people they have won big prizes like a Mercedes, a cruise, or a large sum of cash, according to Marengo County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jim Smith.

The male caller tells the person they have won and then proceeds to ask for a sum of money, some have reported the caller begins with an initial fee of $350. He then will call back and ask for an additional $1,000, Smith said.

He said the department has had multiple reports of the hoax and some residents have fallen victim the scam.

“If people do get the call, they are urged to fill out a report on the online database at www.ic3.gov,” Smith said.

The website is used as a way for the FBI to compile a list of those reporting scams of the same or similar nature, so they can work on one big case instead of several small ones.