Better Busines Bureau warns of new fraudulent check scam
Morning News Staff Reports/Morning News
Published: November 28, 2007
CONWAY — Postal inspectors are trying to alert the financial industry to a new fraud scheme, according to a press release from the Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina Inc.Published: November 28, 2007
Letters are being mailed from Canada to U.S. residents announcing that the recipient will receive a substantial cash payment, but that “duty fees” must be paid, and the addressee must telephone a foreign “customs agency.” When victims call the phone number, they are told a “trustee” can pay for the fees if they do not earn more than $5,000 a month. The addressee is told to fax a copy of their paycheck to prove their limited earnings. A second letter soon arrives, containing a counterfeit check, appearing to be from the United States Postal Service or another business. The victim is told to deposit the check, then wire a portion of the money outside the United States.
The Postal Inspection Service is aggressively investigating this scheme to stop further compromises of legitimate bank account information and prevent victims from losing funds.
If a customer presents a Postal Service check to be cashed or deposited at a financial institution, it is recommended that the teller ask the presenter how the check was received and for what purpose. It is also recommended that two forms of ID be obtained.
The Postal Service does not send any monetary disbursements originating outside the United States. Furthermore, there is no reason a recipient of a cash payment should ever have to provide any kind of income verification, or to return any portion of a payment via wire transfer.
Those who believe that the check is related to a purported cash payment coming from Canada should not accept the check, according to the BBB. Call the Postal Inspection Service immediately at (877) 876-2455.
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