Fraudulent Letters Arrive in Liberty County

LIBERTY, December 5, 2005 - The Liberty County Sheriff's Office has recently encountered and verified a national fraud scheme that has affected some persons in Liberty County.

In this scam the victim receives a letter that it is the victim’s final notice to receive a cash prize of $95,000.00. Attached to the letter is a check made payable to the victim for several thousand dollars. The letter explains that the check is for taxes and service charges for the prize and the victim is to deposit the check in the victim’s bank account. Upon deposit of the check the victim is to call a number listed on the letter and leave the account number into which they deposited the check. After this is done the thieves then have access to the victim’s bank account and start withdrawing money from the victim’s account.

The check is written on the account of Penn Tank Lines in Pennsylvania. Penn Tank Lines is a legitimate company from whom checks have been stolen. The address on the check is accurate for Penn Tank Lines but the phone number has been altered and is a scam phone number.

Investigators from the Liberty County Sheriff's Office have spoken with representatives from Penn Tank Lines who confirm they are getting phone calls nation wide regarding this scam and that they are working with law enforcement authorities to catch the perpetrators.

Regarding the intended victim who received the letter in Liberty County and reported it to the Sheriff’s Department, the check was not deposited but rather was questioned and turned over to the Sheriff’s Department.

Sheriff Greg Arthur reminds all citizens of Liberty County that they should never give out any identifying information such as bank account numbers, social security numbers, or driver’s license numbers to unsolicited phone calls, letters, or emails.

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