RCMP and a special fraud force have shut down a mail scam that was targeting victims in the United States.

The RCMP's Calgary Financial Integrity Team and Alberta Partnership Against Cross Border Fraud laid fraud and forgery charges against two men and a woman in connection to the operation of a complex international mail fraud scheme.

Police say the victims were from the U.S. and were being contacted from the Calgary area.

Daniel Tochukwu Ezeani, 34 of Cochrane, is charged with Fraud Through Mails and Use Counterfeit Stamp.

Emmanuel Davies Uzonwanne, 37, of Calgary, and Tina Marie Uzonwanne, 41, also known as Tina Marie Trowbridge of Calgary, are charged with Fraud Through Mails, Possess Instrument for Forgery, Possess Counterfeit Stamp, and Possess Instrument to Make Impression of Stamp.

Police say that the three accused used a "Mystery Shopper scam" to defraud numerous Americans and the scheme involved enlisting victims to test the customer service of a retail outlet.

Victims in this case were sent a cheque in the mail and asked to cash it and then withdraw the money.

They were then told to wire the money back through a money transfer store to other countries, including Great Britain.

Police say the victims believed they were being paid to test the customer service of the money transfer store and that shortly after, they were advised by their bank that the cheque was forged and they had to pay the money back.

Investigators say cheque writing software, printers, and cheque paper were used to make the forged cheques appear legitimate.

The forgeries went undetected until they reached the clearing centre and attempts were made to withdraw the funds from the account listed on the cheque.

Canada Post and the US Postal Service were able to identify thousands of envelopes and keep them from being sent to other potential victims.

Police say that a total of 10 American victims were identified, with a total loss of more than $21,000.

The three accused will be in court in Calgary on October 22, 2013 to answer to the charges.

Tips to protect yourself from mail fraud:

  • If you deposit a cheque, ensure the money appears on your account balance before you spend it.  This process can take days or even weeks.  It is important to remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
  • Do not cash a cheque if the issuer asks you to send a portion to someone else, or if the amount sent is too large for the purpose, and the sender asks you to return the difference.
  • Do not cash a cheque that bears a different company name than the sender’s company, also known as a third party cheque.
  • Legitimate mystery shopper companies will ask you to rate retailers you regularly shop at and rarely provide money in advance for this.
  • Educate yourself and your family about common scams.

If you think you are a victim of fraud, contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre on its website or at 1-888-495-8501.