Scam letters bound for WA homes seized

More than 100,000 scam letters bound for Australian homes have been intercepted by Australia Post and WA Consumer Protection so far this year, up from 30,000 during the same period last year.

Commerce Minister Michael Mischin said it was the biggest seizure of scam mail since the joint operation began about six years ago.

Promising anything from a chocolate which burns fat to lucky charms capable of conjuring lottery wins, the scams were all personally addressed to intended victims.

Mr Mischin said the scammers usually asked a recipient to provide personal as well as credit card details.

If provided, the scammers could not only steal money electronically but the householder’s identity, or their details could be unscrupulously passed on or sold to other fraudsters or junk mailers.

Mr Mishin urged homeowners to ignore unsolicited offers in letters and emails, saying some scam mail may have slipped through the operation.

“They tend to come from the United States or Canada although there are some Malaysia and other South East Asian nations. One of the more prolific originals also appears to be the Netherlands," he said.

"If people have any doubts about the authenticity of an offer, they are advised to seek advice from consumer protection," he said.

ScamNet officer Adam Edwards said the scammers were probably harvesting the addresses through the White Pages online.

Last month, it was revealed a Dongara grandfather lost a record $700,000 in three years in an inheritance and investment scam.

The man began sending money overseas after he struck up an online friendship with a woman he believed to be a nurse living in Britain.