Be Aware: Scams are Becoming More Prevalent

The City of Peekskill Police Department is warning residents of a scam that has once again begun to circulate throughout the area and appears to be targeting the elderly.

Those who are targeted, receive a letter in the mail accompanied by a check for a substantial sum of money. The letter advises the recipient that they have won an overseas lottery or other substantial sum of money along with a check for a portion of the settlement. They are then instructed to cash the enclosed check and then forward a portion of that money via Moneygram or Western Union to an address which is outside of the United States for the “processing fee”.

At first glance, the letter and enclosed check look to be legitimate, however, upon closer inspection one will notice that the address on the check and the return address on the envelope do not always match. There may also be several grammatical errors in the letter, tending to discredit its authenticity.

There are several versions of this scam out there including fraudulent apartment listings, auto sales, and others that are popping up on online sites such as Craig’s List. The public is advised to never send money to an individual who is unknown and to utilize reputable escrow companies such as PayPal when purchasing items online.

Police are notifying area banks and Moneygram & Western Union outlets of the apparent fraudulent activity and working with the United States Postal Inspectors Office to identify the individual(s) responsible. Anyone who has received the mailing is asked to notify the City of Peekskill Police Department’s Detective Division at (914) 737-8000.