Lottery scam costs senior nearly $4,000 in savings
Monday, November 13, 2006 posted 01:38 AM EST
Falling for a lottery scheme recently cost a Rutherford County senior citizen almost $4,000.
She received a check for $3,950 in the mail with a request to pay a one-time fee of $2,850. After paying the fee, she would be entitled to receive a sum of $250,000.
The senior citizen cashed the check and promptly lost the $3,950 because the check was fake, said sheriff’s Detective Capt. Preble Morton.
It’s tempting to cash checks for thousands of dollars.
“Throw it away,” Morton advised about those types of unsolicited checks received in the mail. The bank will not cover accounts for fake checks. “You’re going to be responsible for it.”
The sheriff’s office has received several similar complaints during the past few weeks.
The scam that took the senior citizen showed a Canadian address and mentioned an Australian lottery and a finance company in Virginia. It asked for the one-time fee.
“I can’s say this enough,” Morton said. “If you’ve won something, they won’t ask you for money.”
Detectives called the bank listed on the check and quickly learned it was fake.
The sheriff’s office can’t prosecute the cases because the crime occurs outside Rutherford County.
Another citizen complained about a scam with an address from Madrid, Spain. She didn’t fall for the scam but turned the materials over to the sheriff’s office.
Besides the lottery scams, Morton said Internet scams are becoming more popular.
Do not give information about personal bank account numbers or credit card numbers online.
“It’s just another way for people to rip you off,” Morton said.
Exit out of the online request immediately and check the official Web site.
Legitimate online companies that do business may notify customers about updates but won’t solicit personal information online.
For example, Morton’s mortgage company and bank changed its Web sites but didn’t ask her to update personal information.
“Be smart about what you put on the Internet,” Morton warned.
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