Post by Admin on Feb 12, 2009 9:03:19 GMT -5
Letter scam creates mailbox problem
By ROGER MEISSEN
The Fulton Sun
A recent letter scam might show up in a mailbox near you and Fulton Police warns the public to remain wary of easy money.
Citizens in Fulton have been receiving letters in the past few weeks offering money if they participate as “mystery shoppers” for a market research firm.
“We know of at least one person that has fallen victim and a couple who reported it because they thought it looked suspicious,” Fulton Police Lt. Andre Cook said. “The letters were telling people to cash a check, keep a portion for themselves and mail the remainder to the company.”
FPD urges anyone who receives mail from A.U. Market Research to destroy the letters and not add to the tally of victims.
Those who do not heed that warning and fall prey to the scam are left accountable for the whole amount of the fake check.
“For example, the company might send a $4,000 check and tell the person to keep $1,000 and mail them the remaining $3,000,” Cook said. “That would make them a $3,000 profit for just sending the letter, and they also tell the person to go to Wal-Mart, Gerbes or whatever retailer and buy products for their market research.
“Most banks would think the check was legitimate and cash it, but on finding out it was fraudulent the bank would then contact the customer to repay the amount the check was cashed for.”
The checks could bear the name of any reputable company and should not be trusted.
Cook said this scam originates in Canada and is being investigated by federal authorities. This is just one of many such scams recently reported.
“That makes them a little bit harder to hold accountable, but the U.S. Secret Service is working with Canadian authorities to make them accountable for the monies that they defrauded from both the banks and the customers.
“Over the past few months there have been numerous different scams that have circulated throughout the Mid-Missouri area and some Fulton residents have fallen victim to these scams,” he continued. “We just want to let the public know that if it's too good to be true it probably is."
By ROGER MEISSEN
The Fulton Sun
A recent letter scam might show up in a mailbox near you and Fulton Police warns the public to remain wary of easy money.
Citizens in Fulton have been receiving letters in the past few weeks offering money if they participate as “mystery shoppers” for a market research firm.
“We know of at least one person that has fallen victim and a couple who reported it because they thought it looked suspicious,” Fulton Police Lt. Andre Cook said. “The letters were telling people to cash a check, keep a portion for themselves and mail the remainder to the company.”
FPD urges anyone who receives mail from A.U. Market Research to destroy the letters and not add to the tally of victims.
Those who do not heed that warning and fall prey to the scam are left accountable for the whole amount of the fake check.
“For example, the company might send a $4,000 check and tell the person to keep $1,000 and mail them the remaining $3,000,” Cook said. “That would make them a $3,000 profit for just sending the letter, and they also tell the person to go to Wal-Mart, Gerbes or whatever retailer and buy products for their market research.
“Most banks would think the check was legitimate and cash it, but on finding out it was fraudulent the bank would then contact the customer to repay the amount the check was cashed for.”
The checks could bear the name of any reputable company and should not be trusted.
Cook said this scam originates in Canada and is being investigated by federal authorities. This is just one of many such scams recently reported.
“That makes them a little bit harder to hold accountable, but the U.S. Secret Service is working with Canadian authorities to make them accountable for the monies that they defrauded from both the banks and the customers.
“Over the past few months there have been numerous different scams that have circulated throughout the Mid-Missouri area and some Fulton residents have fallen victim to these scams,” he continued. “We just want to let the public know that if it's too good to be true it probably is."