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President's Message

It is shaping up to be a busy end to a busy year here at the BBB. We have lots of positive change and look forward to continuing with that momentum in 2014!

Last month we had two great document shredding events and thank our staff, sponsors and volunteers for all of their efforts. We are proud to participate in offering this great opportunity to the communities of Cedar Rapids and Muscatine. Also, plans have now been firmed up for December 9th when we will sponsor another BBB l0l luncheon program in Indianola for Warren and surrounding Counties. Watch for your invitation in the mail and for more information contact Barbara Carson at 515-243-8137 x301.

There continues to be no shortage of scammers looking for an opportunity to help you part with your hard earned money. Sometimes we feel a little like a broken record but lately there has been a huge influx of calls reporting sweepstakes, lottery and secret shopper scams. While we have reported on these scams for years they continue to flourish, so get the word out to your family, friends, staff, etc. that if they receive a letter in the mail saying that you have won the lottery in a different country, throw it out because you are being scammed. It is a lottery or counterfeit check scam.

It is not hard to fall for these scams because scammers are talented at making something false look very real. People need to always be on guard to combat these sneaky antics. Typically scammers send legitimate-looking letters with a fake cashier’s check, informing the recipient that they have won a sweepstakes or lottery. Sometimes they use a secret shopper ploy asking victims to go shopping a green dot card or money wiring service. This falls into the category of something that is too good to be true, so be extremely cautious.

The scam process includes a letter that claims the cashier’s check is to help cover the taxes and fees when claiming the money. The letter instructs the “winner” to deposit the check and wire or green dot card a portion of the money back to the people that sent it, and then keep the remaining sum. Because the cashier’s check is a part of the scam, recipients are easily fooled. The check is counterfeit and by the time the bank discovers that the check is fake, and returns it, the damage is done. The recipient is held responsible for the full amount of the check and withdrawal.

• Not enter foreign lotteries. As tempting as a foreign lottery may seem, avoid them completely. Not only are they usually fake, but it is also illegal to play a foreign lottery.
• Never pay money for a prize. If you are required to pay for a prize that you have won, then it is most likely not legitimate.
• Never deposit a check for someone you do not know. When counterfeit checks bounce, the only person the bank will blame is you. Money that you withdraw from your bank will need to be paid back to the bank. Keep in mind that a check can take weeks to clear so the counterfeit check and money withdrawal may not be discovered by the bank until weeks after it was deposited.
• Never wire money to someone you do not know. The reason scammers request people to wire money is because it is untraceable. If you transfer money to a scammer, do not expect to ever see it again.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Chris Coleman