Last modified: Thursday, August 23, 2007 9:06 AM EDT Credit union to reimburse victim of online scam BY GLORIA LaBOUNTY SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Clara Beechey may have been victimized by a scam, but she won't be out the $200 she sent to the fraudulent caller. Goldmark Federal Credit Union, where Beechey has been doing business for years, has reimbursed her for the money she lost. "We love her," said credit union President Joanne Robidoux. "We definitely want to do that for her." After the story of the scam was published in The Sun Chronicle Wednesday, John Aissis, chairman of the board of the credit union who has known Beechey for years, said he wanted to replace the money, Robidoux said. Beechey was pleased when she heard about the credit union's offer during her regular stop at The Sun Chronicle office. "Wonderful," she said. "I've been with them for a long time." The scam began weeks ago when Beechey got a telephone call from a man who told her she had won $5,500, but to get the money she first had to send $200 to cover the cost of registering the check she would get. Thinking that she could use the winnings to help her favorite charities, Beechey sent the money by Western Union to address in Jamaica, but later was told she had to send hundreds more, which she said she couldn't afford to do. She never heard anything more about the supposed winnings. But she was charged more than $200 on her phone bill for the calls she made to the number she had been given to get more information about the fake contest. Fortunately, the charges were taken off her bill after Beechey called and complained. But she did have to pay $30 to have her phone number changed so she would no longer get so many calls. Robidoux said several other credit union customers have been bothered by scams, and whenever the problem has been brought to the attention of credit union workers, they check out the information and advise the customer to report the scam to police. At times, people are sent a fraudulent check for a large sum, and are told the check can be cashed only after they send money to cover fees. In those cases, Robidoux said a credit union employee will call the bank that supposedly issued the check to verify that it is a fake. At other times, customers say they have been told they are entitled to a large amount of money if they first send a check, a scam similar to the one used on Beechey. In those cases, Robidoux said, credit union workers can check out the claim and advise the customer of a potential scam. But Robidoux said Beechey never told anyone about the call she had received and how she had been promised money. "We can only advise people if we are told about the situation," she said. "We watch over our members and try to protect them." Beechey's case really hit home with Goldmark because the credit union had originally been affiliated with Balfour and several board members had worked with Beechey years ago. Workers there watch over her when she comes in to do her banking, and Robidoux said they even call a taxi for her when she needs one. "We really go the extra mile," Robidoux said. "We are what credit unions are all about." Not only Goldmark has stepped forward to help Beechey. An anonymous donor forwarded $100 to her through The Sun Chronicle, and a Mansfield businessman also offered to cover her losses. GLORIA LaBOUNTY can be reached at 508-236-0333 or at glabounty@thesunchronicle.com.