Burton fans are victims of scam

Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2003 | 8:26 a.m.

A telemarketing scam using the name of magician Lance Burton is deceiving hundreds of people who are made to believe they have won free tickets to Burton's show, Metro Police said.

For the past seven months, hundreds of families and seniors have arrived at the Monte Carlo, where Burton performs, saying they have tickets to see him and a free dinner as well, Sgt. Timothy Shalhoob of Metro's property crimes and tourist safety, said at a news conference Tuesday at City Hall.

"It is one of those invisible crimes," Shalhoob said, that has left Metro Police baffled.

Burton said: "The whole thing is really perplexing and it is a mystery. As a magician I deal in illusion and deception, but someone is using deception for other purposes. We just want to stop it."

The caller asks people who answer the phone if they make more than $45,000 a year, Shalhoob said. If they answer yes, they are "given" a free ticket to see Burton. If they live in Nevada, then they get dinner, too.

Burton's publicity director, Wayne Bernath, said he personally answered six angry calls after the victims of the scam found out there are no free tickets or dinners.

"It's an electronic voice," Bernath said.

The hotel estimates as many as 1.5 million people have been contacted in the scam.

Police said anyone who receives such a call should just hang up. Efforts to track the origins of the recorded telemarketing calls have been unsuccessful.

Shalhoob said the crime is a misdemeanor, harassment, with a potential penalty of six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Bernath said his car was vandalized as a result of people angry about the scam. If the person who damaged Bernath's car is caught, he or she could face a one-year jail term and a $2,000 fine for a gross misdemeanor of destroying property.

If someone receives such a telemarketing call and is willing to pay $5, the person can dial *57 and the number of the caller may be displayed, Shalhoob said. "We don't want people on fixed incomes to run up a huge bill," he said, noting Metro and the Monte Carlo will not pay for the extra charges.

Anyone with information about the calls or the caller can call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555. There could be a $2,000 reward if a suspect is caught.