If it sounds too good to be true…<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
From our friends at the Halifax Police Department…<\/p>\n
\nThe Halifax Police Department has received complaints regarding a sweepstakes letter that residents are receiving in the mail from \u201cat&t Financial Services Consumer Protection Department\u201d. After investigating the matter, the Halifax Police Department has determined that the enclosed check is invalid and the sweepstakes is a scam originating in Alberta, Canada. The letter arrives in a plain white letter sized envelope bearing only the recipient\u2019s name and address and a Canadian postage stamp. No return address is listed. Inside is a letter congratulating the recipient on winning a sweepstakes draw. The draw has allegedly been organized for \u201call taxpayers and customers of the participating retail stores\u201d. <\/p>\n
The letter includes a claim number and a notification that the recipient\u2019s entry slip drew lucky winning numbers. The letter claims that the named recipient is entitled to a large amount of money ($75,000 or more) payable by certified check that will be delivered by special courier. The letter also encourages the recipient to contact the listed claims agent and to use the enclosed check to pay government service taxes for non-Canadian residents via Western Union. The enclosed check shows issuance by Foster Bank of Niles, IL on the account of H MART MIDWEST CORP.dba Super H Mart and is in the amount of several thousand dollars. (Internet fraud websites show the checks are payable in the amounts of $2800 to $3700.)<\/p>\n
According to Internet fraud sources, once the recipient cashes the check, he or she is supposed to send the funds to the \u201ctax agent\u201d listed on the letter via Western Union. The check will be returned showing that it is a forgery or the account has been closed or does not exist. As the bank has already debited the recipient\u2019s account for the funds, the scammers have the cash and the account holder is out several thousand dollars.<\/p>\n
If you receive a sweepstakes letter and check, please do not cash the check or respond to the letter until verifying the legitimacy of the sweepstakes and the organization or business. If you have any concerns regarding the validity of a sweepstakes or promotion, please contact your local law enforcement agency or the Better Business Bureau at (804) 648-0016.\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Fools. Their money. Soon parted.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
If it sounds too good to be true…<\/p>\n
[…]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5445","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-newscentral","odd"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pwqFk-1pP","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5578,"url":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/2009\/10\/11\/shooting-victim-found-in-halifax\/","url_meta":{"origin":5445,"position":0},"title":"Shooting victim found in Halifax","author":"SouthsideCentral","date":"October 11, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"We just got a notification from the Halifax Police Department... The Halifax Police Department is investigating a shooting that occured on October 9th. The victim, 29 year old Tony Lorenzo Canada, was transported by ambulance from his residence of 1031 Bethel Road to the Halifax Regional Hospital Emergency Room for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Halifax"","block_context":{"text":"Halifax","link":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/category\/locations\/halifax\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5866,"url":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/2009\/11\/21\/norfolk-southern-train-gets-stuck-on-halifax-tracks\/","url_meta":{"origin":5445,"position":1},"title":"Norfolk-Southern train gets stuck on Halifax tracks","author":"SouthsideCentral","date":"November 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm sure that the Town of Halifax police department and the Halifax County Sheriff's Department had better things to do than deal with this. From our friends at the Halifax Police Department... 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On June 28th at 9:14 pm, a passing motorist contacted Halifax County 9-1-1 to report a structure fire at the NAPA Auto Parts\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Breaking News"","block_context":{"text":"Breaking News","link":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/category\/newscentral\/breaking-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":4273,"url":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/2009\/06\/18\/halifax-county-national-night-out-august-4th\/","url_meta":{"origin":5445,"position":3},"title":"Halifax County National Night Out – August 4th","author":"SouthsideCentral","date":"June 18, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"It looks like they have big plans this year... This year, they're moving the event over to the Halifax County Fairgrounds. The Halifax County Sheriff's Department, South Boston Police Department, Town of Halifax Police Department and the Virginia State Police will be the hosts for the event that gives \"residents\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "EventsCentral"","block_context":{"text":"EventsCentral","link":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/category\/eventscentral\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":5371,"url":"https:\/\/www.southsidecentral.com\/wordpress\/2009\/09\/21\/halifax-pd-has-a-successful-safety-seat-check\/","url_meta":{"origin":5445,"position":4},"title":"Halifax PD has a successful Safety Seat Check","author":"SouthsideCentral","date":"September 21, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"There are very few things that actually can be the difference between life and death. Thumbs Up to the Halifax Police Department for taking the time to help make a difference. 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