Michigan man gets taken by lottery scheme

Dec 6, 2006, 9:06 am (2 comments)

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Ann Arbor resident loses $3,150 after being told he won Canadian lottery

An 86-year-old Ann Arbor man was bilked out of $3,150 after he received a letter from Canada claiming he won a lottery and needed to pay the taxes, Ann Arbor police said.

The man called police

Monday and said he received a letter in November, sent to his home on Alpine Drive. He said the letter claimed to be from Capital Financial Trust Inc. in Ontario and said he won a lottery in the amount of $275,000, reports said.

The letter also contained a check in the amount of $3,400, and the man was directed to call a number to activate the check, reports said.

The man said he called the number and spoke to a man who told him to deposit the check and send a money order to an address in Canada in the amount of $2,650. He said the bank advised him the check cleared, so he mailed the money.

The victim said he was then directed to mail a $500 money order for "Fex Ed insurance," which he did. He said he soon received a letter from the bank that the check didn't clear, and his account was overdrawn, reports said.

The incident remains under investigation. Police warn other residents not to respond to similar letters or send funds to anyone claiming they have won a large cash prize.

Ann Arbor News

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SassyOhio's avatarSassyOhio

Man Oh Man.... sounds IDENTICAL to the one that got my roomie. Her Check was for 2,000 and the same instructions and the same area ... Canada! You would think that they Canadian police would do something but they dont! They did NOTHING to help my friend just told her ..."Yep there is a scam going on with that letter"   ...OK? The banks dont care that you can prove that this is a scam your still responsible for it. Now granted maybe most should know this is a scam but some dont. They have to do something to stop this!

tony95

LOL, I think I have won the european lottery about 50 times.  No legitimate lottery will ask you to pay out of pocket.  Why didn't these people at least wait for the check to clear?

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