WEST MILFORD – Cecile Picioccio wasn’t fooled for a second. When she opened the envelope Monday, return address from The Netherlands, she knew this wasn’t for real. No way anyone was going to send her $1.6 million from a sweepstakes she never entered. All she had to do, it said, was send $25 and the money would be released. Instead of just throwing the mailing out, Picioccio decided to spread the word and make sure none of her fellow seniors were tricked by this.
"I'm a senior and I know how some seniors react," said Picioccio. "They think 'oh, maybe I can leave something for my grandchildren.' It's just $25, but they'll make a lot of money if everyone sends them $25. I'm worried about the local people."
So this feisty West Milford senior called the state's Division of Consumer Affairs hotline. They referred her to the post office. After calling several times and getting no answer, Picioccio went there in person. But she didn't get any satisfaction.
"I thought since it came from a US post office and looked like a metered stamp, they could trace it," she said. But that isn't the case. So she went on a campaign of her own. First stop: the senior center at Hillcrest to get the word out.
Picioccio gave the letter to Patti Gillis, the assistant at the township's Senior Services. Gillis said no one else that she talked to at the center had gotten it but was sending out the word that it is a scam.
Here's how it worked. The cover letter states that you have won a large cash prize but there's no mention of sending money for it. But you do have to complete two attached forms and that's where the mention is. You can send cash, check or money order in order to get the prize.
Nothing new
Internet scams are commonplace and many look very similar to this one that came through the mail. For a fee - whether it is a flat amount or a random "tax," residents can claim huge international sweepstakes. Captain Richard Fiorilla of the West Milford Police Department said using common sense with these things is key.
"If things are too good to be true, it usually is," said Fiorilla. "They're all pretty much the same and there are so many of them."
Including ones through the mail. But the similarity is that they're always asking for something first - money, an account number for the winnings to be deposited or even a social security number. That's a clue that something isn't right.
"You never want to send money to someone approaching you," said Fiorilla. "If you didn't enter a sweepstakes, you didn't win."
What Picioccio did was the smart thing, he said, by questioning it and getting the word out. And he suggests that residents not hesitate to contact the local police. There isn't much they can do about the scams because they're out of their jurisdiction, but talking with police and filing a report puts it on record. And police can also give basic tips on how to stay clear of being scammed.
Use common sense - you don't win contests you didn't enter.
Never send money
Never give out personal identifying information over the phone, internet or the mail
Consult with others - If you're not sure about something, Fiorello suggests you talk about it with a friend or family member. Ask what they think. More than likely when discussed, these schemes are obvious.
Contact police - there may not be a lot they can do with it but they will take a report and have it on record.
Fiorilla said over the past 20 years he has seen a huge increase in these scams, in the mail, online and over the phone. Residents can always contact the police if they have any questions about something like this.
"We're here 24/7 so people should run it by us," he said.
As for Picioccio, spreading the word was a no brainer to her.
"I'm worried about the local people," she said. "Somebody's got to stop this. This hit home. It came to my house."
Have you been approached, either by mail, phone or internet, and it turned out to be a scam? Tell us your story at westmilfordmessenger.com.