A NELSON Bay retiree has warned Port residents of a scam letter doing the rounds via post.
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Susan Quean, a 75-year-old grandmother, said the letter arrived personally addressed to her in a fancy-coloured envelope and with a distinctive company logo titled Benson Charles & Associados.
"When I first read the letter, I was a little suspicious even though they had spelt my surname, which is an unusual name, correctly," she said.
"The letter said they were from a law firm representing someone with a similar name to mine who had been killed in a car accident overseas and had left $7.5 million 'with one of the banks in Portugal'.
"They asked for my bank and contact details to deposit this money and the letter was signed. I had never received anything like this before."
Mrs Quean said she showed the letter to her daughter who immediately raised the alarm.
A Google search of the name Benson Charles & Associados revealed that the scam dates back to 2005 and with slight variations to the name.
"I want to warn others, particularly the elderly, who may receive similar such letters. I would never give away my bank details but when you receive a letter like this it can be a little scary.
"It made me wonder how they got my name, address and phone number. I don't use a computer and I don't have an email address."
Mrs Quean said she would forward the letter onto police.