Scammers tell man briefcase containing lottery winnings could explode: Ontario police

PETERBOROUGH, Ont. – Provincial police say they had to close their Peterborough, Ont., detachment for several hours after a man brought in a briefcase he thought contained an explosive device.

OPP say the man arrived at the detachment late Wednesday morning, saying he’d received a call about winning a lottery in the United States.

Investigators say fraudsters told the man he’d won $2.5 million but had to pay $5,000 in taxes to receive his windfall and sent him a locked briefcase they said contained a portion of his winnings.

To access the funds, the man was told he would be given a code after sending the tax money. But police say the fraudsters also told the man that trying to open the briefcase without the proper code would set off an explosion.

After learning that the man had the briefcase with him in his vehicle, police closed the detachment and an explosives disposal unit was called in.

OPP say there were no explosives in the package.