FRAUD ALERT:

PEFCU CHECKS USED IN POWER BALL SCAM

20 June 2008 3:00 p.m. Eastern
Nicole Thompson

Scams come in all forms. One common scam involves contacting an individual with a story that he or she has won a lottery or sweepstakes and giving the person a counterfeit check. If you are contacted about winning a lottery or sweepstakes, be cautious—especially if you did not enter one yourself. If you receive a check from an unknown source, have it checked for authenticity before you cash it. This extra step will save you money and the hassle of rectifying the situation.

A current scam involves checks that appear to be drawn from Purdue Employees Federal Credit Union (PEFCU). Power Ball Inc. and North American Ballot Sweepstakes has issued false cashier's checks that look like legitimate PEFCU checks. The checks are accompanied by a letter regarding winning a lump sum payout from a power ball sweepstakes. The letter asks the recipient to contact his/her assigned claim analyst and use a provided reference number to receive a check for the full earnings.

Anyone who receives a questionable check should contact Danna Puterbaugh in the PEFCU Risk Department at 765.497.3328 or 800.627.3328 for an analysis.