SCAMS – Watch out!

The scammers are getting better at convincing their victims to hand over their money and their identity by sending out real checks drawn on real banks with real company information printed on them.  However, that doesn’t mean the checks are negotiable.

An individual tax client brought me a letter he received, that was mailed with a Canadian stamp, postmarked in Canada, with no return address, and on official looking stationary, complete with a gold seal, from the United Alliance Sweepstakes Commission, identified as located in New York, New York, congratulating him on winning $175,000 in the combined “Readers Digest, Publishers Clearinghouse” sweepstakes. 

Also included was an ACTUAL check for $1,880.71 to reimburse him for fees, and that he was to call a certain phone number before depositing the check.  He kept getting a busy signal, and asked me what he should do.  He never entered sweepstakes or even played the state lottery, so he knew it was too good to be true.  He was correct!

The check was drawn against an actual manufacturing company in Indiana, and signed by the actual president of that company (all this information is available online; but the sweepstakes company has nothing to do with the manufacturer).  A  bank’s name and routing transit number were printed on the check and again, available online, but the address of the bank was listed as being in Chicago, Illinois and the bank is actually located in Michigan.  Again, that information is available online. 

Judging by the constantly busy phone number, I would say that a number of people have bitten on this bogus check scam.   The phone number, 888-233-4919 is a toll free number with no identity listed online, so that you can’t identify whom you’re calling.   I told him to bring the envelope, letter and check to his local police department so that they can warn others that these are not legitimate.

The client who received the letter is a senior citizen who owns his own home.  With the information available online, scammers can determine who owns their own homes, their respective ages, and can then mail them some very convincing evidence that they have won something. 

Make sure your parents and grandparents know that such a letter and accompanying check are most likely an attempt to steal your money and your identity!