The Litchfield Police Department has received complaints of a telephone scam in which individuals are claiming to be associated with the Publisher's Clearing House Prize Patrol.

These individuals have contacted members of the community to advise them that a prize has been awarded; and to receive funds, the individual must send a money order to another individual to facilitate the transfer of the winnings to their account.

The police department advises that any attempt to collect money in an effort to receive an award, or the solicitation for tax documents or specific identification numbers - such as date of birth or social security numbers - is an attempt at identity theft. Remember, you should never provide this information to someone who is soliciting you by phone.