Many victims fell for the scam multiple times, sending numerous payments. Shine allegedly operated the scheme through businesses she owned in Rhode Island, such as Lucky Dog LLC (also known as Premium Ops & Incentives) and Destiny Merchandise LLC (also known as Independent Catalog Services).
A woman from Rhode Island faced charges today after being indicted June 17 by a federal grand jury for mail fraud and conspiracy. Megan E. Shine, 47, from Warwick, allegedly ran a direct-mail sweepstakes scam that targeted seniors and other vulnerable individuals nationwide, resulting in over $10 million in losses.
Court documents reveal that Shine used the U.S. Mail to carry out fraudulent schemes that tricked elderly and vulnerable victims into sending payments ranging from $20 to $30. The mailings falsely promised cash prizes or valuable items, leading recipients to believe they had won something.
Many victims fell for the scam multiple times, sending numerous payments. Shine allegedly operated the scheme through businesses she owned in Rhode Island, such as Lucky Dog LLC (also known as Premium Ops & Incentives) and Destiny Merchandise LLC (also known as Independent Catalog Services).
“Mass mail fraud schemes defraud elderly and vulnerable consumers out of millions of dollars every year,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and its law enforcement partners are committed to vigorously pursuing all individuals who prey on vulnerable and elderly victims through these types of fraudulent schemes.”
Shine allegedly sent out misleading letters that made recipients think they were specially chosen to receive a significant sum of money or a valuable prize. The letters, which were often personalized to seem more legitimate, directed recipients to send money to a post office box in Providence by a certain deadline for the supposed processing of their winnings.
“Preying on the hopes of elderly and vulnerable victims for profit, and using fraudulent mailings to persuade them to part with their hard-earned money takes a terrible toll- financially and mentally,” said U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha for the District of Rhode Island. “Working with our partners at the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, the Postal Inspection Service and federal, state and local law enforcement, we are determined to ensure that those who seek to profit from fraud are held accountable.”
The letters were printed on paper that looked official or like a certificate, often had what seemed to be the seals of governments or government agencies, and often had other language and details meant to make them seem official or real, including bar codes, document control numbers, printing that looks like it was stamped with rubber, like the words “authorized document,” highlighted text, bank-check style font and layout, as well as identification and other codes. In truth, all of the letters were the same (except for the name and address of the recipient).
The mailings from Shine falsely made recipients believe they had won big prizes, when in fact they had not won anything at all. Instead, victims received either sweepstakes rules or a cheap piece of jewelry. Shine is now facing charges of mail fraud and conspiracy, with a potential 20-year prison sentence if convicted. The case is currently under investigation by the United States Postal Inspection Service.
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