I received a letter from Avery Financial Inc in Toronto, stating I had won a lottery. Enclosed is a check for $4980, made out to my former last name that I haven't used since I remarried 3 years ago.
The letter stated I had 5 days to call Phillip Adams at 905-598-3517. I am to deposit this check, then use it to buy a moneygram or western union to pay taxes on my full award. The taxes are $3980 for $125, 000.
This check is from a Comerica Bank account for Shout Factory, LLC in Los Angeles. I googled both, and they seem like legit businesses. Comerica IS a bank in Santa Cruz, and Shout Factory is a web-based DVD mail order business in Los Angeles.
I didn't fall off the apple cart yesterday. I realize this is a fake. There's no way I'm going to even try to deposit this check and then buy a money order before it has time to clear - which it won't. I've also been a tax-paying US citizen for a very long time, and I know you don't pay taxes before you have legitiment proof of the winnings in your hand. But how many people out there will fall for this trick?
I've read other postings on this site with similar stories of companies in Canada doing this - but none of them mention Avery Financial. I want to make everyone aware of this company so they can watch out for them.
I'm also aware that Shout Factory and Comerica Bank may not even know this is going on... or do they? If not, they should.
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