FSCO issues warning over mail scam conducted by unlicensed insurance company
February 10, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter
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The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) has issued a warning to consumers about a mail scam conducted involving an unlicensed insurance company called TD Insurance, Melohre Mannex.
“Although this company may have a similar name to a licensed insurance company, they are not registered or affiliated with FSCO or the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO),” FSCO said in a press release on Thursday, referring to TD Insurance Meloche Monnex.
The entity appears to have issued notices advising recipients that they are among the winners of a Home Phone Mega Sweepstakes Raffle. The company claims to be working on behalf of the North America Financial Clearing Services to find winners that have not claimed their winnings and to help them navigate the laws and protocols mandated by federal and state regulations on sweepstakes winnings, the release explained.
The company sends the recipient a cheque to help pay taxes, insurance, handling and shipping fees – and urges the recipient to contact the claims representative listed on the document to activate the cheque and start the claims process. This type of scam is commonly known as an advance fee fraud, FSCO warned, noting that the office addresses provided on the notices are often false locations.
“Consumers should exercise caution if they receive unsolicited correspondence advising of lottery, sweepstakes or raffle winnings, and are encouraged to forward copies of the materials received to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre,” FSCO said.
FSCO has issued several warnings of advance fee fraud scams in the past year. Last November, the regulator warned insurers and consumers about a “mystery shopper scam” being conducted by an entity using the name of a legitimate U.S. mystery shopping company, A Closer Look/A Closer Look Inc., without authorization. The company sent out letters and cheques that appeared to be from Desjardins Financial Security – Desjardins Group’s life and health insurance branch – citing payment for a mystery shopper program for Western Union.
FSCO’s website contains a list of all insurance companies and agents licensed to do business in Ontario. RIBO’s website contains a list of all brokers licensed to do business in Ontario.
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Hello, I work at The Morris Law Group and the return address noted on these scam letters is our address of:
125 Main Street East
Hamilton, ON L8N 3Z3
We received another “Return to sender” letter and as noted, it is our addresses on these scam letters.
I believe that we have been in contact with the Hamilton Police about this but now that FSCO has notified that this is a scam, are you able to advise where we should be sending these scam letters (and cheques) that we receive?
I do have a PDF copy of the most recent letter and cheque received today, November 9, 2017 although the letter is dated July 11, 2016.
We do not want people looking up the address of 125 Main Street East in Hamilton and thinking that our office is trying to scam people.
Any suggestions on where these scam letters should be provided?
I have received one of these scam letters fora sweepstakes raffle in which I never entered with a check for $4620 from North America Financial Services. The check indicates it is from the acct of Mobile Pallet Services LLC in Michigan. Would it help you for me to send you a copy of the letter and check?