Canadian Company Scams Local Woman
12.17.07 (11:34 pm) [edit]A St James woman scammed out of thousands of dollars... and there's little she can do to get her life savings back. News 12's Emily Carlson shows us how a Canadian company was sent her money.... ight to their door.
Can you keep a secret for three thousand dollars? "They asked me if I could keep a secret or if I'd be telling everyone what I'd be doing I said no, I can keep a secret."
Sheila Ratzlaff Chute knew she could "I got a check in the mail. This check."
So she cashed this $3, 715 check Secret Shoppers sent her.
"I thought I could do this, be a secret shopper, it's easy." A legitimate looking website and a friendly representative convinced her the job was simple. Her first task?... take most of the money from the check Secret Shoppers mailed her, and send it by money order back to Canada to someone she doesn't know.
"I said I really find it interesting that I have a relative in Canada. I didn't know that and he said it's not really your relative its just a name we're using."
Sheila sent over $3, 000 to a fake relative in Canada at this Money-Gram station. Something the St. James police say is a really bad idea.
"It's fraud they're trying to trick you they're trying to make it sound like this is something we do all the time so go ahead."
But after Sheila went ahead and cashed the check, her bank returned it. It was a fraud. "Oh my word, now I'm responsible for the check." Responsible because there's very little police can do to track down the person who picked up the Money-Gram in Canada.
"They disappeared it's going to be very difficult to day the least."
Which leaves Sheila with no other option but to pay back the money. "I've lost my life savings I have nothing. It's a well planned thing that they've got to make money that's how they make money by tricking people."
Sheila admits she made a horrble mistake trusting strangers with her money. Tonight she's begging you, to hold your money close . In St. James, Emily Carlson, News 12.
To watch the story, click here .
Can you keep a secret for three thousand dollars? "They asked me if I could keep a secret or if I'd be telling everyone what I'd be doing I said no, I can keep a secret."
Sheila Ratzlaff Chute knew she could "I got a check in the mail. This check."
So she cashed this $3, 715 check Secret Shoppers sent her.
"I thought I could do this, be a secret shopper, it's easy." A legitimate looking website and a friendly representative convinced her the job was simple. Her first task?... take most of the money from the check Secret Shoppers mailed her, and send it by money order back to Canada to someone she doesn't know.
"I said I really find it interesting that I have a relative in Canada. I didn't know that and he said it's not really your relative its just a name we're using."
Sheila sent over $3, 000 to a fake relative in Canada at this Money-Gram station. Something the St. James police say is a really bad idea.
"It's fraud they're trying to trick you they're trying to make it sound like this is something we do all the time so go ahead."
But after Sheila went ahead and cashed the check, her bank returned it. It was a fraud. "Oh my word, now I'm responsible for the check." Responsible because there's very little police can do to track down the person who picked up the Money-Gram in Canada.
"They disappeared it's going to be very difficult to day the least."
Which leaves Sheila with no other option but to pay back the money. "I've lost my life savings I have nothing. It's a well planned thing that they've got to make money that's how they make money by tricking people."
Sheila admits she made a horrble mistake trusting strangers with her money. Tonight she's begging you, to hold your money close . In St. James, Emily Carlson, News 12.
To watch the story, click here .