Kathy Ronquillo has received numerous yellow postcards in the mail this month promising a $500 gift card to shop at Walmart, Target and more. It\u2019s a scam, she warned.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want other people to fall for this,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Living on a fixed income, Ronquillo said she could use extra money to buy groceries, so she called the number listed, (888) 258-0567. But to claim her \u201cFree Reward,\u201d the woman on the other end of the line demanded her Social Security number and financial account information, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey wanted me to pay a $5 fee in return for the $500 gift card,\u201d said Ronquillo.<\/p>\n
The Cortez Journal also called the number. After a brief wait, an agent immediately demanded the 10-digit claim number listed on the postcard, so we could choose from among four rewards. We first asked who was sponsoring the giveaway.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cash reward hotline is sponsored by Duplicell,\u201d the agent responded.<\/p>\n
Duplicell is a skin rejuvenating cream company based in New York. In addition to the cash reward, the telemarketer promised a 30-day supply of skin cream valued at $119 would be shipped and received within 3 to 5 business days, along with the gift reward.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll we ask is that you send us $4.95 for postage,\u201d said the agent.<\/p>\n
The telemarketer added the $500 gift card could be used at thousands of grocery stores.<\/p>\n
After being told by the company that she could use her $500 grocery voucher at Walmart, Ronquillo \u2013 suspicious of the claim \u2013 said she called Walmart in Cortez for verification.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Walmart manager told me it was a world wide scam,\u201d said Ronquillo. \u201cDon\u2019t send these people anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
An online search of the listed number on the postcard revealed others had also received the notice. They too warned the postcard was a hoax.<\/p>\n