Pennsylvania: Wal-Mart workers and LE prevent lottery scam

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Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 11:31 am

This story is from the Thursday, November 27, 2008 Edition of the Press Enterprise < Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, USA >

Wal-Mart workers foil scam try
Money order summons Hemlock Township cops to would-be victim’s aid

By CHRIS KREPICH
Press Enterprise Writer

BUCKHORN — Alert Wal-Mart workers here Wednesday saved a Berwick woman from losing more than $3,000 to a Canadian lottery scam, police said.

The woman was at Wal-Mart buying a money order for $3,400, which she planned to send to supposed lottery officials in Canada, said Hemlock Township Police Chief Mike VanDine.

The money was to be sent as a tax-clearance fee to redeem a $250,000 prize from "The Mega Millions Draw," said the chief.

The woman got the cash for the money order by depositing a bogus $4,450 check from the fake lottery into her bank account.

She insisted the check was genuine because it was accepted and deposited by her bank, according to VanDine.

But, "Free money is never free," he warned.

Other checks, too

The letter accompanying the check said the money was sent for a winning lottery ticket she had purchased, VanDine said. However, the woman indicated she never bought any sort of lottery ticket.

He did not name the woman but said she was in her 50s.

The woman also received two other fake checks — for $3,955 and $3,870 — for lottery winnings.

However, she did not cash or deposit those, police say.

Be wary

VanDine praised the Wal-Mart workers for being suspicious and calling police. Had they not, the money order would be on its way to Canada and the woman would be out that money, he said.

The letter with the first check was from TELCO Incorporated, 8817 Pallisades Ave., Grande Prairie, AB, Canada.

The check was issued by ISS Greensboro from Greensboro, N.C., and the First Union National Bank of North Carolina.

The other checks were from International Award Claim Department, Niagara Falls, N.Y., and ACB Financial Services in Toronto, Canada, according to VanDine.

He reminds residents to be wary of such scams and to contact police or their bank before cashing any check that arrives unexpectedly.

Chris Krepich covers the Danville area. He can be reached at (570) 275-2104 or [email protected].

Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:50 pm

I've heard at least two other stories where Wal-Mart employees have warned potential vics as they tried to send Moneygrams to Canada for what is now being called "Granny-Scams" (the scammer calls an elderly person and says, "This is your favorite grandson, and I'm stranded in Canada."). The stories were from two different areas of the country.

Kudos to Wal-Mart for training their employees appropriately.

Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2008 5:04 pm

I hope they impressed on the lady how lucky she was not to have lost a load of money and also not to have been charged with passing the forged checks.

She has been saved from a sh*tload of trouble.

Well done Walmart!

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