The Halifax County Sheriff's Office has received complaints of out of state area coded phone numbers calling local residents claiming to have winnings of $2.1 million dollars as well as other prizes.

Major Bruce Temple said this afternoon the calls have come in this week but no one has given their personal information to the scammers, who use that information to buy merchandise on line. “We caution citizens not to allow the manipulation and simply hang up. Citizens can report these calls to the appropriate law enforcement agency,” he said in a news release.

Legitimate sweepstakes have to be entered, Temple said. “I'm not aware of any that give away anything without having to enter in some form or fashion.”

While in some phone scams the elderly are targeted, Temple said the recent spate of phone calls target anyone who answers.