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Olympic scam exposed

by
06 July 2012

By a staff reporter

FRAUDSTERS posing as an official church co-ordinator for the Olympics, have sent out letters and emails attempting to swindle personal details out of unsuspecting recipients.

Dozens of different scams, all purporting to be from "Revd Canon Duncan Green", are being circulated. Canon Duncan Green is the Church of England's Olympics co-ordinator, and is also head of London 2012 multifaith chaplaincy services. He has not sent any of these messages.

One version of the letter informs recipients that they have won £225,000 in the 2012 Summer Olympic Lottery, and tells them to complete a form, giving their personal details, in order to claim their prize.

"Impersonating the Church of England, and using the Olympics to swindle people out of money is beyond contempt. This is a scam, and the best thing you can do if you receive such a letter is to throw it in the bin, or shred it," Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council's cabinet member for community safety, said.

"All manner of criminals will be looking to use the Olympics as a chance to make money through various cons and swindles. Trust your instincts. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is."

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