Violet Paku has raised a Christmas Eve warning in Masterton over the Maria Duval scam that promises vast riches with a secret psychic key. The scam known and investigated worldwide is listed on the Ministry of Consumer Affairs Scamwatch website and on the A to Z ofScams list at consumer.org.nz Mrs Paku, who works as a diversional therapist in Masterton, said she received her letter on Saturday from purported psychic Maria Duval that promises a secret and Instant Cash Trigger in return for a $40 cheque, or credit card payment, forwarded to an address in France. She said it is the second similar letter she has received at her home address in the past year that promised absurd wealth for a trifling sum. The first set of documents, "from Spain or Venezuela", was promptly shown to police then binned. The scam letter from Maria Duval was "frighteningly" and correctly addressed to her, Mrs Paku said, and bore an Auckland postmark. "I'm Christian, so I don't even believe in psychic powers or anything. "But imagine that there are a hundred like me getting this letter right at Christmas. "At least one of them will believe it and lose their money when they probably can't afford to lose a cent." Maria Duval is a clairvoyant with a flawless track record of forecasting the future and finding missing people, according to her website at www.mariaduval.com In fact, Maria Duval is the front-name for a scam operating all over Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. The scam has been known in New Zealand since at least 2005 and questions have been raised in the past about banks honouring the cheques and credit card payments when the scheme is actually a blatant and well-established fraud.
