Readers beware: someone is sending out cheques that might appear to come from our company, as part of a scam we have just become aware of.

Fraudulent scams are nothing new, unfortunately. In this case, someone has delivered between 30-100 packages by UPS that contain cheques with amounts just under $2000.

We have had a handful of these packages returned to sender. While we are not the sender, the person perpetrating this scam has used our address, so they came back to us.

When we opened the first two packages, they contained cheques for $1870 and $1930. We researched the companies the money was allegedly from (they were different in each case) and found that they were legitimate companies with the correct address information.

The banking information on one cheque was correct, while the other was not.

The cheques were each made out to individuals and had "cash payment" in the memo.

If you have been targeted as a victim in this scam, you will receive a package from "Ezine Article Archive" (the name of the magazine archive section on our site) and the address will be 2243 Stouffville Rd. in Toronto, ON postal code L0H 1G0.

There is no company "Ezine Article Archives" and our company is also not located in Toronto proper.

While we do not know how the scammers planned to extract money from victims, we suspect that anyone who cashes one of these cheques will experience one of the following:

• a demand notice saying that a payment was made in error;
• a notice that an overpayment was made and request to return some of the money; or
• some other type of demand or notice asking for money.

We have reported the fraud to the RCMP's PhoneBusters line and would suggest you do the same if you receive one of these packages. They can be contacted at:

Toll Free: 1-888-495-8501
Email: info@antifraudcentre.ca

Also, be alert for fake emergency messages from friends or family members who claim they are in a remote location and due to a terrible event, like a robbery, have no money or identification and need you to urgently send money.

We have heard of several direct reports from people who have been targeted by this type of fraud this in the past two months. In one case, the Facebook account of a husband and wife was hacked and friends were targeted directly through Facebook.

Most frustrating in that case was that the legitimate owners of the hacked Facebook accounts had difficulty regaining control of their accounts to reach out to friends and notify them that the plea for help was a scam.

In parting, there are two things to remember:

• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
• If you receive an indirect message asking for help, be sure to talk to the actual source before sending any money!

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