NORWICH – The Norwich Police Department wants to warn area residents to beware of scams being sent in the mail.

Multiple residents have received letters in the last few days that contained fraudulent letters from fake financial institutions with foreign addresses. The letters tell the recipient they have won an international sweepstakes or lottery, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. The letter is accompanied by a check for a portion of the prize winnings. The recipient is asked to deposit the smaller check and send a portion of the amount to a tax agent in order to receive the full check amount.

Norwich Police Department Sergeant Scott Burlison explained people who believe the scam send the money – in one example over $3,000 – to a tax agent, and later find out the check they deposited bounced. The recipient of the letter is then responsible for repaying the money that was lost.