A long-time scam has returned to the Roanoke area, according to reports that have come into the office of the Better Business Bureau Serving Western Virginia this week.
In this scam, a bright yellow postcard – with no company name – is mailed to the potential victim that indicates he or she has an unclaimed reward of up to $100 in savings, and must call a number immediately to claim it. The phrases final notice and automatic forfeiture are also prominent on the card, which gives a claim number and says that the reward is good at multiple well-known stores, including Wal-Mart and Target.
This scam has been in the news for several years and has been publicized by BBB’s in other regions, including Cleveland, Myrtle Beach, and Oklahoma City. What happened there, and what happened to the victim in the Western Virginia service area, was that credit or debit card information was requested for a shipping fee. The initial small charge was made under the business name SnapALoop.
After that card information was obtained by the scammer, larger charges were put on the card days later, making it necessary to cancel the card entirely in order to maintain the victim’s security.
When the BBB of Western Virginia called the number on the postcard, the scammer gave false identification and did not reveal any useful details. The BBB reminds everyone that you will never have to pay a shipping fee to win a prize, and that any individual requesting financial information must be regarded with skepticism.
If you need more information, contact the BBB at (540) 342-3455 or (800) 533-5501.