One Charged, Others Sought in Winona, Montgomery Scams

WINONA, Miss. (WCBI) — An alert neighbor helps Montgomery County deputies nab a suspected scam artist. But investigators warn others may be using the same scam in the Winona, Montgomery and Carroll County areas.

Tuesday, Edgar Barefield of Leflore County was charged with false pretense after a resident of the Fondren Road area of rural Montgomery County reported a man came to his home seeking money to help bring a deceased relative home from another state. The victim provided authorities a tag number and the Altima in which Barefield was a passenger was stopped at the Winona city limits.

Barefield already is on probation with the state Department of Correction.

Investigators say two men in a white pickup truck have been using the same sad tale in other areas for several days and have not yet been caught. In some cases, they’ve actually gotten into people’s homes and have shed tears as they’ve told of their plight.

Several people have reported giving them money.