On July 8, 2020, Stayton Police Officers were alerted by a conscientious employee at Postal Connections regarding a situation they believed resembled a scam. The customer came in with an envelope they wanted to send out of state and said they had been given very specific directions on how it needed to be mailed and that it absolutely had to arrive the next morning. The customer was willing to pay several hundred dollars in shipping costs. Police were notified to assist.
It was discovered to be an elaborate scam where the caller caused the customer to believe a family member was in trouble and needed to send money immediately. Unfortunately, these scammers are skilled and use scare tactics. They prey on the concern people have for loved ones and add a sense of urgency to get the victim to respond quickly, often without fact checking. Thanks to the concern, quick thinking and compassion of the employees at the Postal Connections working in conjunction with the Stayton Police Department, the customer’s $7,500 was recovered and did not make it into the hands of the scammers.
If you want to educate yourself on other common scams, please see the DOJ link attached:
https://www.doj.state.or.us/consumer-protection/scam-alert-network/