I recieved a check in the mail in my husbands name on friday november 23, 2007 in the amount of $2988.89. Came with a letter saying we had won $50, 000. Their system indicated that we were drawn as a winner on November 9, 2007.
All participant were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from Readers Digest Publishers Clearing House, Computers Games and Sweepstakes Databases form Austalia, New Zealand, Europe, North and South America, part of an International Promotins Program (IPP), which is conducted annually, CONGRATULATIONS!
It is our duty to inform you of the existence of international law guiding the fair personal collection of cash prizes. This international law stipulates that a winner pays a processing fee before funds are released. the same law also prevents you from paying the fees out of your personal pocket. Be advised your reference number PSC1426 (along with my husbands name as part of his ref #) must be kept confidential until the claim has been completely processed. to avoid double claims that will disqualify you.
Your funds are now deposited with us and insured under your name please find enclosed a check cashable only by you. You will be advised by your claims agent on how much to withdraw and send to the processing office to finalize the payment of winnings. please note the amount of the check will be deducted from your final payment of winnings. The balance will be paid to you upon receipt of your processing fees.
Take advantage of this opportunity today by contacting your claims agent John Scofield at 1-514-660-2943 for further instructions.
please note all prizes must be claimed no later than November 26, 2007. at which date any unclaimed funds shall be forfeited. Please accept our congratulations.
I was excited but also hesitant. I called Scofield and he did not ask for reference number. just asked how soon i could cash the check, and to call him back after i did.
i went to my bank and showed the letter and check to teller. He said he would have to hold for 10 days. But their were several things that would make him question it.
So i called scofield back and told him they would hold it for 10 days, he said that was fine to call him after it cleared. I asked him how much i actually won and how this worked. He told me $50, 000, and i just fed exed the money for the taxes on the winnings. And reassured me that it is not through the mail.
Well i asked the teller not to put my account # on check just in case it was not a real check. But for $50, 000. i did not want to pass up an opportunity like this.
After the weekend i still kept questioning this, so i did a search online and came across so many frauds like this one. One story i read said to call back and ask them if this is a scam, so i did. Scofield tells me "Uh, No." I then asked him then he would not mind if he gave me the number to his boss so i could verify this. Well, i got hung up on.
I then called my bank and told them what transpired. The teller on the phone told me that he had a similar case a while back with another customer. He told me because it is an international company it takes longer than the 10 day hold before it comes back as fraud. That is how these people are scamming hundreds, probably thousands of people.By the time the check comes back as fraud you have already paid and are waiting for your winnings.
I have to recall the bank later today to find out if i have to change my account number or what they are doing with the situation. I also called back Scofields number, twice, and it went to a business answering system.
I am just thankful for people that do take the time to report these scams so people that are getting these checks today can research on the internet to find out if it is real or not.
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