SUMMERSIDE – City police have received complaints of mail fraud over the past two days.
Some residents have reported receiving envelope addressed to the homeowner with a Canadian postage stamp affixed to it.
Police said the envelope was not processed by Canada Post because there are no postage markings on it.
Contained in the envelope is a fake cheque in amounts varying from $8,000 to $10,000 made payable to the addressee along with a letter with a "Reader's Digest” logo on it.
The letter explains that the addressee has won in excess of $100,000 and the cheque is to cover insurance and administration fees.
The letter asks the homeowner to a call a phone number that is based in New York. When the number is called the person at the other end asks for personal information so as they can call the addressee back.
Police want to advise the public that this is in fact a scam. The cheque is a fake and the people involved are unlawfully using the legitimate company, Reader's Digest, as a tool for the scam.
Police are also asking the public to report any suspicious people depositing uninvited correspondence in personal mailboxes to Summerside Police Services 902-432-1201.
