Health briefs 5/2

Bootheel area residents warned of scams

DEXTER, Mo. -- Dexter's acting chief of police, Paul Haubold, and the Pemiscot County sheriff's office have asked residents to beware of letters, e-mails and telephone calls that ask for bank account information.

In the Dexter area, residents were warned of e-mail and letter from a person named Nathaniel Ogbe. In his correspondence, Ogbe asks recipients of the letter to participate in a "confidential" and "top secret" business transaction. Ogbe reports in the letter that an individual named Theophilus Baker banked with Ogbe's bank in Nigeria and at the time of his supposed death had a closing balance in the bank in excess of $31.5 million, and Ogbe's bank is unable to contact the banker's family.

The bottom line in the letter is that Ogbe is asking recipients send to him their telephone numbers and bank account information.

A news release from the Pemiscot sheriff's office said county residents had received calls from an unknown organization telling them there is money that needs to be credited to their checking account or credit card account.

The caller asks for account information so the credit can be completed.

The sheriff's department is advising residents not to give information over the phone and to ask for the caller's name, address and phone number.

Residents who receive this type of call are asked to contact Sgt. Ryan Holder or Lt. Chris Riggs at the sheriff's office by calling (573) 333-4101.

Southeast to hold 'Pennies From Heaven'

More than 30 elaborate themed baskets, a condo time share almost anywhere in the United States, a personal computer and hundreds of other items will be auctioned Friday during the annual Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation "Pennies From Heaven" benefit auction.

The auction will be held at the A.C. Brase Arena Building beginning at 5 p.m. with silent auctions. The oral auction, conducted by the Chug Crites Auction Service, begins at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

In the auction's seven-year history, more than $84,000 has been raised to benefit We Can Weekend, an annual summer retreat for cancer patients and their families. Sponsored by Southeast Missouri Hospital and the American Cancer Society, We Can Weekend is designed to help cancer patients and their families identify and cope with the impact that cancer has on their lives.

For more information about "Pennies from Heaven," call the Southeast Missouri Hospital Foundation office at 651-5510.

SeniorRX enrollment deadline scheduled

Missouri's senior citizens can benefit from a new prescription drug program but must sign up before May 30.

The Missouri SeniorRx program pays for 60 percent of drug costs once an annual deduction is met, up to a maximum annual benefit of $5,000. To be eligible for the program, seniors must have lived in Missouri for the last 12 months, be at least 65 years old by July 1 and meet the income requirements set by the state legislature. Seniors are eligible if their income is below $17,000 for a single person or $23,000 for married applicants.

Applications are available at pharmacies or by calling (866) 556-9316. More information is available at www.missouriseniorx.com.

-- From staff and Southeast News Service reports