LOCAL Sue Nagle is warning other residents to be aware that not everything that comes through the mail is authentic.
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The Nagles were targeted recently when they received a letter mailed to their home address telling them that they had won the lottery for the ‘Euromilliones Loteria International Spanish Sweepstake Promotion Programm’.
The letter outlined that the couple had won close to two million euros and said the fund was deposited with a security company to their name.
The letter asked the Nagles to fill out an attached form with their personal details and fax it ‘immediately’ to the fake company.
Mrs Nagle said she was surprised at how legitimate the document looked, as it had an included logo and signature but there were a few issues that sparked her concern including spelling errors and a difference of address from the one on the letter to the one on the envelope.
The couple do not know how the scammers obtained their address. They have been overseas recently but received their mail on return.
Mrs Nagle said it was important for the public to be aware that there are people who will go to great lengths to steal money.
“There are some people in our community who are particularly vulnerable and may think that this letter is legitimate,” she said.
Mrs Nagle contacted Scamwatch, which is run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
They said they had heard about similar circumstances.
Local police advise people not to call any suspicious numbers, as they can be set at a premium rate and the suspects can benefit from the charges.
If the company listed is a reputable one, Inspector Kim Fehon said people should search the phone number on the internet or phone book to see if whether it is valid.
“Most reputable companies will not ask for personal bank details to be sent to them,” she said.
Inspector Fehon also suggests that people read the document carefully, to pick up on anything suspicious including spelling and grammar mistakes.
Anyone who has been targeted by a scam through phone, email, or mail is urged to contact Scamwatch on 1300 795 995 or www.scamwatch.gov.au
People can also report cybercrime and access resources by visiting www.acorn.gov.au