Alert: Mail scam targeting elderly Dalton residents

June 16, 2006, Dalton, MA. – The Police Department is investing a recent mail scam targeting elderly residents.

Investigating Officer Deanna Strout said that two seperate cases were reported in the last week in which two seperate Canadian companies sent fraudulent checks to Dalton residents. Both were received by elderly residents.

In one case, the mailing came from a company called Fundex Financial Trust, based in Winnipeg. Police Chief John Bartels said that this company appears to be illegitimate.

The second mailing claimed to be from the Atlantic Lottery Corporation.

ALC Inc. is a legitimate company that serves Canada's Atlantic coast. It posted a fraud alert on its web site on Tuesday regarding the lottery letter scam.

According to the ALC letter turned in to Dalton police, it said the recipient had won $50,000.

Enclosed with the letter was a check for $3,900 "which looks extremely valid," said Bartels.

'Looks extremely valid'

The check had a logo of JPMorgan Chase Bank of New York. Upon investigation, Strout learned that the check traced to a stolen account from the bank.

The letter also asked the recipient to send them release fees and taxes in the amount of $3,498.

Bartels said that by the time banks realize that the check is fake, the sum has been sent and can't be traced.

"If it's too good to be true, it probably is," said Bartels.

Back in January, the town was involved in a sort of reverse scam, when two out-of-state residents received fraudulent checks bearing an official logo addressed from the Dalton branch of The Pittsfield Cooperative Bank.

Bartels said that residents receiving suspicious lottery mailings should either check with the listed bank or notify the police at (413)684-0300.

This article appeared in The Berkshire Eagle on June 16, 2006.