To the Editor:
The latest SCAM to hit Fillmore has been one involving Marie Wren and Dorothy Hunt who were contacted by e-mail to receive a senior grant from the Small Business Association where they could secure a large cash donation by paying a mailing and processing fee.
The original e-mail was sent to Marie by her friend Dorothy who said this was all legit and she had already gotten her cash money. The dubious Marie kept asking questions and soon decided to connect with Dorothy in person to verify “the facts” about the proposition. At that time both discovered the e-mail did not come from Dorothy, Marie never paid the fee to secure this wonderful wad of cash and no one was hurt.
Both Dorothy Hunt and Marie Wren are afraid that their names may be used by the scammers to try and involve others in Fillmore who know them. They want everyone to know they are not a part of this scam and to always be cautious because “if it is too good to be true” it probably is fake. If you have questions, call or talk directly to your friend to verify if any offer is authentic. Friends help friends stay out of trouble in scams and do not assume anything on your phone or computer is authentic. You never need to pay cash to secure a grant.
The Small Business Association is a well known reputable group but now posts over 15 illegal scams using their name, so buyer beware.
Marie Wren, Fillmore