The Mount Airy Police Department has issued a number of fraud alerts in recent months — the latest involves correspondence from someone masquerading as the chief executive officer of a major bank.

An attempt has been made to defraud at least one local citizen through the scheme, according to Capt. Alan Freeman.

That city resident received a letter from an individual who claimed to be the CEO of Citibank International. Information in the letter indicates that the scam is of foreign origin, Freeman said Monday.

The letter says the recipient has won several million dollars. But it also requires that individual to provide certain personal details in order to claim the prize, including name, address, driver’s license number and bank account information.

This is a frequently employed tactic aimed at gaining access to someone’s bank account, according to Freeman, although the methods vary from scam to scam.

“We have seen this type of letter before,” Freeman added.

“Never give your personal or bank account information to anyone.”

Requiring such details to be provided, or a fee to be paid to win a prize, should be automatic red flags to anyone contacted by email, regular mail or telephone, authorities say.

“Nobody was out any money on it,” Freeman said of the most recent solicitation.