CARY POLICE WARN CITIZENS TO BEWARE OF LOSING LOTTERIES AND OTHER FRAUDS

CARY, NC – Many North Carolinians hope to have the winning lottery tickets later this year, but Cary Police have noticed that some Cary citizens are already finding themselves on the losing end of lottery scams.  

Citizens have been receiving anonymous emails claiming that they have won a lottery – usually out-of-state or international – and they need to send a check to pay for the taxes. The victim mails a check, and a counterfeit check is then sent to the unsuspecting victim who is supposed to cash it and wire the money to another location. However, the victims find themselves responsible for the amount on the bogus check.   

“During the past year, we have investigated more than six cases involving lottery scams, as opposed to only one from March 2004 to February 2005,” said Detective Stephan Lampert.   “We have also noticed an increase in fraud involving vehicle sales and counterfeit checks.”

In other cases, a person lists their vehicle for sale on the Internet.  A buyer, who is usually representing the customer in another country, sends a counterfeit check to the seller for more than the agreed upon amount and tells the seller to send the remainder of the money to a third party for shipping expenses.  After some time, the seller discovers that the check was counterfeit, and the seller has not sold the vehicle.

“We urge residents to report suspicious incidences to the local police related to these types of frauds,” said Lampert.  

In addition, residents should remember these tips:

·        When you receive a notice that you have won a lottery, ask yourself if you have actually played that particular lottery.

·        If you’ve been provided with a check for part or all of your winnings, or as a payment for any taxes due, check with your bank or police department, and have them research the check for you.

·        Don’t provide personal information, such as your date of birth, social security number, or your banking information upon a request from an out-of-state or out-of-country lottery that you did not play.

For more, watch this month’s Target Safety on Cary ’s Bud TV or call (919) 469-4318.

###