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Deputies Warn Of Scam Letter Sent To North Escambia Residents
March 1, 2009
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Department is warning area residents not become victim of a scam that has cost North Escambia residents thousands of dollars.
The scam begins with a letter with a Canadian postmark, according to Senior Deputy David Preston. The letter states that the recipient is the third grand prize winner in a National Geographic sweepstakes with a $100,000 prize. The official looking letter even provides a certified cashier’s check number.
The envelope also contains a check for $3,085 that “covers insurance, handling, duty and taxes fees”. The letter asks the recipient to call a phone number with a 514 area code in Quebec, Canada. An Internet search indicated that the number is a Canadian cell phone.
When victims call the phone number, they are told to deposit the check into their bank and then return the $3,085 right away. The check bounces, and the victim is out the $3,085.
The check appears real and to be drawn on Regions Bank from a company called “Continental Traffic Service” in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a real company that specializes in supply chain management, but they have nothing to do with the check or the prize.
“It’s a scam,” Preston said. “People need to know not to do this because all they are going to do is lose money.”
The scam has been received by at least six people in the McDavid 32568 and Century 32535 zip codes in the past few days, Preston said.
Preston said that people should not be required to deposit checks and send money back to a company in order to win a prize.
Anyone that receives such a letter should contact Senior Deputy David Preston at 436-9620.
Click here to see the scame letter (pdf).
Pictured top: A copy of a $3,085 scam check received by a local resident. Note that the word “VOID” that is slightly visible in the image is because this is a copy; the “VOID” would not be noticeable on the actual check. Pictured above, left: A copy of the letter. Submitted by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Department for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
3 Responses to “Deputies Warn Of Scam Letter Sent To North Escambia Residents”
It is so nice to have a sheriff that keeps us informed! Thank you, Sheriff David Morgan for making us proud .
If it seems too good to be true…it usually is.
this scam began in our area about 2 years ago i received one and contacted the attorney generals office and was told it was being investegated. Since then my husband has received 2 of these such checks. We were told that if you cash them, they are indeed real checks, you are financially responsible to pay back the bank in full when it bounces.