This was in our local paper today. The scammers, it seems, are starting to be on a local level. If they are in my small town, they could be in any town.
Leamington police are warning people about a new scam fraudsters are using to separate unsuspecting victims from their money, this one using the Canada Post logo.
Police said a Leamington resident found an envelope in their mail box and initially thought it was delivered by Canada Post. But police point out the envelope, which was plain white with a stamp on it, had not been post marked. Investigators believe someone other than a Canada Post letter carrier placed it into the intended victim's mail box.
Inside the envelope was a letter with Canada Post letter head and a cheque from Money Gram, an international money transfer company. The cheque, for $2,250.10, was made payable to the individual who received it.
The letter states that Money Gram International is using Canada Post to "reveal consumer performance levels of their many agent locations." There was a phone number included for those interested in participating to call and get further instruction about where to send the money.
The scammer then tells the victim to pose as a customer, go to a Canada Post location or Shopper's Drug Mart with a postal agency and transfer the non-existent money to them. The victims are told they can keep $200 for themselves.
Canada Post has also put a message on its website indicating the letter did not come from them, and that their Security and Investigation Services is looking into it. Visit
www.canadapost.ca for more information.
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This is a new wrinkle on an email scam. The victim, had it gone through, would not only have been on the hook for the entire amount, but most likely would have to be charged with fraud. The Money Gram is either stolen, or a good counterfeit.
Canada Post cheque Scam Fraud Alert 
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