Howland police alert residents to scam

HOWLAND – Police are warning of a new flim-flam that is bilking people out of money.

Police Chief Paul Monroe said three residents have received e-mails in recent weeks notifying them that they are going to receiving a check ranging from $2,500 to $4,000 drawn on either the Fifth-Third or Wells Fargo banks. When a victim receives the check, they are instructed to deposit the check into their personal bank account and return a personal check for 90 percent of the face value of the original check to address in western Ohio, Phoenix, Ariz., or Florida.

The victims are responsible for the loss, Monroe said, not the financial institution.