Lottery scam becomes hazmat situation outside Cape Coral bank

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CAPE CORAL, Fla.- A lottery scam turned into a hazmat scare at a local bank.

Police tell WINK News around 1 p.m. Wednesday, an older man walked into the Bank of America near Cape Coral Parkway and Pelican Boulevard and told tellers he had a black box in his car.

The man told police he got that box from Miami. He said he had been talking with two men recently, who told him he won the lottery.

He said he believed there was money inside the box, but was told by the men there was poisonous black powder in there as well.

The fire department responded and brought hazmat and the bomb squad. They quickly determined there was nothing dangerous about the package.

“There were cotton balls inside, some black paper material, maybe the size of a bill,” said Andrea Schuch with the Cape Coral Fire Department, “but there was white powder inside.”

Authorities say the man first reported the possible scam about a month ago, but police were unaware he kept in touch with the men.

 

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