Area police are reminding us once again that if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
The latest target of an attempted scam is a Greensburg woman who received notice through the mail that she had won $156,800 in an international lottery. The letter was accompanied by a check for $2,970.78.
Fortunately, the woman's stepfather, Robb Bell, did some research into the Express Lotto of Sydney, Australia, and found it was the basis for a scam. The letter tells the recipient to cash or deposit the check and then send a $2,880 check or money order to an address in the Bahamas to cover a "clearance fee."
The lotto winnings, of course, are phony and the check is a well-done forgery that authorities warn looks more authentic every year.
According to Greensburg Police Chief "Wally" Lyons, it can take a month or more for a bank to discover that a check is forged. By that time, it is too late to recover the $2,880 that was sent to the Bahamas.
Lyons also warns other area residents that scammers often flood certain areas with their mailings, so others in our community may be targets of the same scheme. He asks anyone who receives a similar letter to contact police or the Federal Trade Commission.
We hope anyone who gets an offer of this type employs caution and common sense before responding. International lotteries are illegal in the United States, and the chances of winning a contest you didn't enter are non-existent. Scammers prey on the human desire to get something for nothing. Beware of their tricks.
