Guy Quenneville
Northern News Services
Friday, May 18, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - The RCMP is warning Yellowknife citizens and businesses to watch out for scam letters sent by mail or e-mail.

While e-mail letters - advising recipients of supposed lottery winnings or inheritances - are a frequent and annoying product of the Internet age, three residents recently received fraud scams through their regular mail in one week, said Const. Troy MacLean of the RCMP commercial crime division.

"The scam letter appears to be originating from Spain," said MacLean. "The letter is directly addressed to the intended victims and their name is pasted directly into the body of the scam letter."

MacLean wouldn't identify the recipients, but he said they were directed toward people in the hospitality industry.

"The letter advises of the recent death of an individual, that by chance has the same last name as the recipient. The fraudster then advises that since there is no surviving next of kin and that because the person receiving the letter has the same last name, the recipient can then share in a percentage of the estate with the fraudster."

This by itself should make the recipient suspicious, but not everybody is so discerning, said MacLean.

None of the three Yellowknife recipients followed through on the scam.

"The best way to nip this in the bud is to not respond and advise the RCMP. It's always the people who responded to a letter who get concerned."

And there's good reason for concern, said MacLean.

"Sometimes it's very difficult to get assistance from some international law agencies. It's very difficult to enforce, and in some countries, enforcement against these scams is not their highest priority."

McLean said the fraudsters can literally send thousands of e-mail letters with the push of one key.

Eric Henderson, co-owner of Eva's Bed and Breakfast, said he receives such letters every day.

"I automatically just refer them all to the RCMP," he said.

"One guy e-mailed from London. He wanted accommodations for three days. You can sense it's not legitimate, because when it comes to payment, it's always complicated. It's never a straightforward request."