Be wary of free money in the mail

WASILLA — A check purporting to be from an international lottery showed up in a Valley mailbox this week in what police are describing as a pretty standard scheme folks should be wary of.

The check for $2,960 purports to cover the surcharges to be paid to a “Lotto Regulation Board” to cover the cost of $46,500 won in the “North American Utilities” sweepstakes. The recipient hadn’t entered the lottery, but the letter said anyone who pays a utility bill was automatically entered.

Detective Sgt. Kelly Turney at the Palmer Police Department said he hasn’t seen this particular scam, but said it’s pretty typical. Usually the recipient of the check will be asked to cash it and send a portion back to the scammers. Later, the check will bounce, leaving the victim holding the bag.

“The scam is basically the same scam it’s just they kind of change the window dressing for it,” he said.

He said he had one last week from something called the mystery shopper program.

“It said here’s $2,000 or something, if you’re willing to be a mystery shopper simply cash the check and mail back this amount,” Turney said.

Turney said that anyone who receives an unsolicited check in the mail should view it with a skeptical eye.

“The only checks I cash would probably come from family members, maybe,” Turney said. “If you get a check with your Easter card you’re probably pretty good.”

Checks, he said, are pretty easy to forge. Check paper can be bought at any office supply store. There are computer programs designed to create checks. He said he’s even seen more localized schemes in Anchorage where scammers will drive around looking for homeless or other less fortunate individuals who have valid ID cards. The scammers will pick the person up, hand them a bogus check and tell them to cash it. They’ll ask for a percentage, telling the victim they can keep the rest.

With mail schemes, though, Turney said, a quick Internet search can usually uncover a fraud. Quite a few of the scams have Web sites that go along with them and, if scrutinized, tend to look fishy. Others have been discussed in online forums where those who’ve been burned warn others to be on the lookout.

“If you do a little bit of your homework you should be able to find out if it’s valid or not,” Turney said. “I have yet to see one that is. People don’t send you money for free.”

He warned people to be vigilant, especially now. He said the economy’s current ills may spawn some new scams.

“I would not be surprised if you see more creative scams because if the recession hits us working folks this hard it hits the criminals as well,” Turney said.

Contact Andrew Wellner at andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com or 352-2270.