Beware of bad checks filling Alaska mailboxes

Aug. 3, 2007

By Hannah Guillaume/Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Fraudulent checks written for $4,500 that appear to be from State Farm Insurance are piling up in mailboxes across the state, Alaska State Troopers report.

The checks, investigators report, are from South Africa and part of a scam that could cost cashers more than its worth.

&#8220The very first one I saw before this came to light was in my mail box,” said Sgt. Derek Degraaf, a trooper detective who lives in Anchorage.

He said the check and accompanying letter, with no return address, written in broken English on paper without a letterhead, made him laugh before he began to worry about how many other Alaskans received the same.

Investigators are still compiling how many Alaskans got the letter and what region got the most, Degraaf said. He noted Anchor Point and Anchorage seem to be getting the most deliveries.

The letter tells readers they've won a &#8220lottery” and directs them to deposit the check into their account before wiring $2,800 through Western Union to pay for processing the winnings.

Degraaf warns that the check isn't legitimate and should not be cashed or deposited. No one in Alaska has reported trying to cash the check.

&#8220If it hasn't cleared yet, and they wire the money, the money is coming out of their own funds,” he said. &#8220It works on victimizing the person that receives the letter.”

He said anyone receiving information that seems too good to be true, even if it's from a legitimate company, should call and verify the information.

Megan Peters, trooper spokeswoman, said call the company from a number from the phone book, not the number listed in the letter's content.

Degraaf said recipients can mail the check to him to add to the evidence they are collecting to Sgt. Derek Degraaf, 5700 East Tudor Road, Anchorage, AK 99507. He said fraud reports should be made to the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.

Lynn Carter, State Farm's zone marketing analyst for Alaska, said she sent out a consumer alert about fraud on July 25.

&#8220Those [letters] are in no way connected to the State Farm company,” she said. &#8220These types of scams are becoming more common.”

The names of well-known large companies are being used to target consumers, she said, adding that three other states are reporting similar &#8220lottery” frauds with State Farm's name.

She declined to comment on which states filed complaints with the company.

Contact Hannah Guillaume at 352-2284 or hannahguillaume@yahoo.com.