Attorney General Hardy Myers has warned supporters of the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children) Program of an International Money Transfer Scheme that illegally uses the program's email address book and the name of its director in a phony email asking for money to be wired to England.

The offices of both the Attorney General and CASA of Linn County began receiving telephone calls and emails Aug. 12 from Oregonians concerned about an unusual email from CASA. The message asked for a "soft loan" of $2,500 to be wired through Western Union to England. The email, supposedly from CASA of Linn County Executive Director Micki L. Steele, asked for the money to assist Steele after losing her wallet while in England at a conference empowering youth.

"The method of operation is very similar to the money transfer schemes originating decades ago in Nigeria and now throughout Africa, but using the actual name and email address of a known person and program is new to our investigators," Myers said. "Not only could this type of scam take thousands of dollars away from a deserving program such as CASA but it could ruin the non-profit's reputation of excellence in improving the lives of Oregon's abused and neglected children in foster care."

"I am appalled at the audacity of those responsible for this email and I am hopeful that people will not fall for this scam," Steele said. "I immediately reported this scam to Western Union in hopes of curtailing any financial gain. As a nonprofit program serving abused and neglected children, we rely on donations from citizens in our community, which makes this fraudulent attempt even more outrageous."

In addition to possibly coercing CASA supporters to wire money to England, the crooks also were able to compromise CASA's email database, leaving the system inoperable and thus preventing CASA officials from sending out a warning to its advocates.

"We are hopeful that this alert will assist CASA in notifying its supporters," Myers said.

Victims may contact the Attorney General's consumer hotline toll-free at 1-877-877-9392. The Oregon Department of Justice is online at www.doj.state.or.us. CASA of Linn County Director Steele can be reached at casaoflinnco@comcast.net.