Hawaii Police Department
Hilo Patrol Section
Captain Kenneith Vieira
Phone: 961-2214
September 18, 2007
Report No. C07029603
Media Release
Hawaii County police are warning the public about a scam from England.
Big Island residents have been receiving e-mail messages offering to sell Wal-Mart MoneyGrams in batches of six or more. The residents are told they can keep a percentage of the face value as payment if they send the rest of the money by Western Union to London. In exchange, the scammers send the victims what turns out to be counterfeit MoneyGrams.
Police investigating the scam have learned that Wal-Mart does not sell MoneyGrams by mail or e-mail. Their legitimate MoneyGrams can be purchased only in the store and they have an attached receipt and a pink thermal heat sensor that turns white when touched.
Police warn the public that using a counterfeit MoneyGram can subject the user to arrest for negotiating a worthless instrument. They ask anyone who is a victim of this scam to call the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 935-3311.
