RISMEDIA, May 29, 2009-RE/MAX International Inc. is alerting affiliates and consumers across the country of a money scam that uses the name of the Denver-based real estate network as the source of a fraudulent sweepstakes and lottery drawing.
The scam notifies supposed sweepstakes winners, via mail or e-mail, that they have won a sweepstakes drawing. The letter appears to be from RE/MAX International Inc. with an attached check in the amount of $4,500 that would help the recipient pay a “Non-Resident Government Service Tax (GST),” that the winner supposedly owes. The tax amount is said to be $2,980 with payment to be made through a Western Union account. Letter recipients are instructed to call a claims agent to arrange payment for the tax before the winnings can be “legally released.”
RE/MAX first learned of the scam last week and has since contacted the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Minnesota Attorney General’s office-one check is drawn on a bank account in Minnesota- to alert them of the fraudulent activity. The company has been notified by a handful of people that have received the letter so far, but it appears the scam is still active.
RE/MAX International is taking action to warn its affiliates, their clients and the general population about the scam, and is advising anyone who receives such a letter to contact their local Better Business Bureau (BBB) and their state’s attorney general.
For more information, visit www.remax.com.
