Watchdog urges public caution in greeting card scam

CROOKS are sending unwanted boxes of greetings cards to householders — then threaten them with debt collectors if they fail to pay for the goods.

Watchdog urges public caution  in greeting card scam

The cheats behind the scam are even threatening to publish people’s names in the Stubbs Gazette of debtors unless they pay.

But yesterday, consumer watchdogs said householders were under no legal obligation to buy or return any goods they had not asked for.

Neither are householders required to keep the unsolicited goods safe, according to the 2007 Consumer Protection Act.

“We are concerned about this scam,” said National Consumer Agency chief Ann Fitzgerald.

“If consumers receive these greetings cards then they should let us know and we will be delighted to take action.

“Consumers should send us the cards as well as any copies of mail received with the cards.”

The consumer agency put out an alert about the unwanted greetings cards fraud, which has also been reported in Britain.

Last year, the agency received more than two complaints every working day about petty cons and frauds.

The largest cause of complaint were from consumers who had received a letter telling them they had won a Spanish lottery.

“Several thousands of Irish consumers were contacted directly by fake Spanish authorities informing them that they had won hundreds of thousands of euro,” Ms Fitzgerald said. “The letters look authentic but, naturally, no one ever collects.”

The lotto cheats are carrying out one version of a confidence trick known as “advance-fee fraud”.

Recipients are lured with the promise of great riches in return for advance payment of “lotto fees”, “customs payments” or “bank charges”.

The fraudsters send out the same letter to thousands of householders whose names and addresses appear on commercially available mailing lists.

“Consumers must be on their guard: they can’t win lotteries they have never entered,” said Ms Fitzgerald.

The consumer agency also received complaints about bogus competitions run by outfits styling themselves the International Lotto Commission, International Payment Award Centre, and the Coca-Cola Bonanza.

* Anyone who receives a payment demand for unwanted greetings cards can ring the National Consumer Agency on 1890-432432.

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