Fraudsters have used the Reader’s Digest Lottery to scam a West Nipissing couple out of money.
West Nipissing police say the couple got a letter stating they were winners of the lottery.
The couple was given two cheques with instructions that after depositing the cheques they were to send money to another address.
This type of scam typically sees the intended victim get a cheque in the mail.
However, the cheque is fake but at the time the victim doesn’t know that yet.
When the person deposits the cheque into their bank account it takes the bank a few days to determine it is a phony.
But usually, by then it’s too late.
Normally when the victim deposits the fake cheque, a dollar amount is withdrawn and the money is sent to another location.
When the bank discovers the cheque is a fake it goes after the customer for the money since the person drew the cash against the phony cheque.
In the West Nipissing case, the couple sent money to another address as requested by the so-called Reader’s Digest Lottery people.
The couple realized they had been conned when the fraudsters contacted them again looking for money.
The couple called the police who are now looking into the matter.