State Police report on lotto scam

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, July 14, 2007

The New York State Police have issued an advisory to area residents to be on the lookout for a lotto scam.

State Police in Fredonia are currently investigating two separate incidents of a lottery scam, which occurred in the southern tier. According to Maj. Christopher Cummings, Troop A commander, and Trooper Rebecca Gibbons, public information officer, in March of this year a Cassadaga resident was the recipient of a suspicious envelope in the mail. It reportedly contained a letter from the Western Canada Lotto along with a check for $2,600, issued by the State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. from Tennessee. The unidentified male was informed that he had just won $120,000 and instructed that he was to cash the $2,600 check and forward $2,400 to a subject in Ontario, Canada.

Police report the victim wired the funds as instructed, but then had to repay the bank the entire $2,600, because the check was determined to be a fake and the Lotto was a scam.

A second such incident occurred this past June and involved a female victim from Silver Creek. The complainant informed police she had received a letter, including a check in the mail from Management and Evaluation Marketing Services of Scarborough, Ontario. The letter informed the woman she was part of a secret shopper’s program and requested that she cash the check, which totaled $3,240, and return $3,020 to the company for transaction fees. The woman became suspicious that offering was a scam and contacted State Police.

Anyone receiving similar letters or phone calls are advised not to cash the checks and contact State Police. The checks are not valid, and once they are cashed, the victim is often responsible for reimbursing the bank where it was cashed, they advise.

For further information, contact Trooper Gibbons at Troop A Headquarters at (585) 344-6260.