State: Beware check scam

A Hudson woman recently received what looked like an authentic check in the mail for more than $3.9 million. All she had to do to cash it was to send in a $20 “documentation fee.” What a deal!

But she was suspicious and didn’t follow the directions. Assistant Maine Attorney General James W. McKenna says she was a smart woman.

“They just keep asking for more and more,” the state official said. The document also stated that by sending a check “you are authorizing the payee to make a one-time electronic debit from your bank account.” This information about the withdrawal, or debit, was in very small print on the very official-looking offer.

McKenna said these scams take many forms and just keep coming and coming to Maine people in both regular mail and e-mail.

A man who lives near Greenville recently sent more than $100,000 to help get his millions before he became convinced he had been conned.

McKenna said that if something looks too good to be true, it likely is. It’s a good rule of thumb to remember, but U.S. consumers lose their savings every day this way.