DaimlerChrysler's financial services division is having a bad week. The company discovered recently discovered an alarming mail-fraud scam is
targeting consumers in an attempt to defraud them of thousands of dollars- and their company name is on the documentation.
Letters have been sent across the country telling recipients that they had won $170,000 in a lottery. The letters include a fake check for $2,260 to cover a phony "deposit" which is said to initialize the payment process. The names "DaimlerChrysler Services" and "DaimlerChrysler Services Truck Finance" are used as the issuers of the fake checks.
According to sources, the scam requires the "winner" to call a fake representative of the lottery commission to arrange the payment process. They are then told to wire $2,260 to a bank account, the amount covered by the check. Of course, the check never clears, and the remaining $170,000 never arrives.
Chrysler has assured consumers that it is taking steps to investigate the fraud, and has posted alerts on its websites and those of other financial services companies. Victims are encouraged to file a consumer fraud complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).
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| (Photo: DaimlerChrysler Financial Services) |
Letters have been sent across the country telling recipients that they had won $170,000 in a lottery. The letters include a fake check for $2,260 to cover a phony "deposit" which is said to initialize the payment process. The names "DaimlerChrysler Services" and "DaimlerChrysler Services Truck Finance" are used as the issuers of the fake checks.
According to sources, the scam requires the "winner" to call a fake representative of the lottery commission to arrange the payment process. They are then told to wire $2,260 to a bank account, the amount covered by the check. Of course, the check never clears, and the remaining $170,000 never arrives.
Chrysler has assured consumers that it is taking steps to investigate the fraud, and has posted alerts on its websites and those of other financial services companies. Victims are encouraged to file a consumer fraud complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission).