Reward or Scam: Somethings not adding up!

[bs4free]

Ok today i got a strange letter in the mail! that stated i had won $57K in unclaimed prize money from a computerized ballot system in 2007 such as readers digest, publishers clearing house, online sweepstakes, internet games etc. and included a check for $3,430.65 to cover the adminstrative and clearance fees of my winnings!

If that was not funny enough The letter was sent from Canada and the Letter head of the letter is TBWA Financial which has a different Candian address then the envelope and a LA address.

And says to call 1-306-880-0681 to authorize and proccess my price (yes price not Prize)

The Check is from TBWA\Chiat\Day and is drawn on a Chase Manhatten Bank

Have looked online and can not find any reports of this scam, but too many factors do not add up! However it would be nice to win! So i though i would ask my SR friends to see if they have goten or heard or could help in finding out what this truley is!

So the question is: is this my Luck day or just another scam...

[bajam]

SCAM!!!
What they probably want you to do when you call will be to cash the check that they sent you (to cover fees) and then send them a majority of the money via a cashiers check or money to them. They will tell you that when you do that they will release the remainder of the money to you. In the meantime the check you cashed will bounce and your account will be overdrawn. This will take a couple of weeks--just long enough so their cashiers check from you clears.

[spring]

Definitely SCAM! If it looks too good to be true, it usually is! These kind of scams have been plaguing the internet also. I got one last week and refused to open it.

It is your lucky day, however. You were smart enough not to fall for it!

[Momtoaprincess]

Just as soon as I read your post, a Publishers Clearinghouse email popped into my box with the same thing. They said I had a check for $4,329.85 waiting for me. Oh the things I could do with that scam money....LOL

[bs4free]

Just as I thought! I totally agree with Momtoaprincess the things we could do with all that scam money around on the internet!

Most of the internet ones i can tell are fake, and most real mail ones, this one was good untill you start to look at the details.

I hope that this post will help others that get such letters and will not be taken! As this seems to be a new combination of Number/address/company scam not other wise reported about online!

See I knew my SR friends were smart!

[Blessing and Miracle]

I would be very careful about that! You should be able to call your local authorities and find information about this if it is a scam. I'm sure you wouldn't be their first victim. In Houston, they have a hotline number just for things such as that.

If they were able to give away that much money, wouldn't they be able to afford a 1-800 number? Hhhmmm!

[bs4free]

Good Point about a 1-800 Number in fact this one is in canada and in yet a different area then either of the two canadian address provided, I am sure this is not there first scam, but mabey a new variant, or that they are just so many these days even people posting about them online can not get them all!

I am sure my local authories would have noclue or even be all that helpful! They have had no luck in finding the Car that ran me off the road and in to a parked car in May or the people who vandalized my brothers car out side my house! Last month!

Keeping an ear to the ground and good common sense will save you from many of these scams, and when in doubt ask someone such as SR family,

I know that some of our SR family have gotten checks from Greenfield and other legit sources for really winning real prizes.

Too bad this was not real, but even better i knew better then to take it!

[MaineMama]

DO NOT CASH THE CHECK! I got something similar saying I won 120K. There was a check from a legitimate looking bank for 3K+ "to help with processing fees". This is a scam. It is illegal. They want you to cash the check and send them most of the money. The check will not clear and you will be responsible for reimbursing the bank plus any fees your bank imposes.
Please bring the whole thing, including the envelope with the canceled stamp to the post office. The postmaster general's office investigates these crimes. When I turned mine in last week, the guy said almost no one turns them in for investigation unless they actually send the money, so the criminals general get away with it for a long time.
I'm concerned that two sunshiners got this scam in such a short period of time. My letter was different, but still out of Canada. Everyone on this site should be aware, just in case it is somehow linked to the offers we fill out.

[bs4free]

DO NOT CASH THE CHECK! I got something similar saying I won 120K. There was a check from a legitimate looking bank for 3K+ "to help with processing fees". This is a scam. It is illegal. They want you to cash the check and send them most of the money. The check will not clear and you will be responsible for reimbursing the bank plus any fees your bank imposes.
Please bring the whole thing, including the envelope with the canceled stamp to the post office. The postmaster general's office investigates these crimes. When I turned mine in last week, the guy said almost no one turns them in for investigation unless they actually send the money, so the criminals general get away with it for a long time.
I'm concerned that two sunshiners got this scam in such a short period of time. My letter was different, but still out of Canada. Everyone on this site should be aware, just in case it is somehow linked to the offers we fill out.

I guess i should not have destroyed it then! All well, I know that many do not turn them in, but i dont think they could have done much, it was mostlikly an untraceable number and a fake address and no cancled stamp just printed numbe saying canadian post!

I sure hope its not tied to anything we have done on SR! and since you too have gotten a similar one I hope that if anyother SRs get this they do not Cash the Check!

[bs4free]

Just thought i would post an update! I got another one today!! WOW!

Still from Canada, almost the same wording, just all different ammounts and a different company! But still the same scam of here cash this over 3000$ check! I knew what it was before i even opened it but still wanted to again share with all the SRers to be careful and do not cash or fall for this scam!