I received a letter in the mail from Diamond Marable Sweepstakes in Mississauga, Ontario Canada, that stated I was one of 6 winners in a random pick sweepstakes of 280,000 people in North America that is conducted bi-annually.
The total drawing win was $588,000 but because I won in the second category I had won $98,000!! They sent me a real check with live signatures drawn on a real bank account in the amount of $2,465.80 that they stated I was to cash and use to pay my taxes and clearance fees for my prize. Then they gave me a number to call to confirm my prize information by a certain date or I would forfit my winnings.
Being curious as to how I "won" this money, I called the number given in the letter and all I got was a message saying the mailbox was full and could not receive any more messages. So, even more curious now, I started to look around on the internet for Diamond Marable Sweepstakes in Ontario Canada, and there was nothing on the internet, no listing at all.
Strange. I looked up the address and there is no address, in fact, there is not even a building, it's at an intersection! Then I called information in Ontario Canada, and they have no listing either. Then I started looking for D. C Marable, Inc. And found a person by that name, with the same P. O Box address.
When I called 411 they stated it was a person listed as a business. I called the number and it is a fax #. Even more interesting. Then I figured I would check on the bank that the check was drawn on, American State Bank in Oklahoma. There was no bank branch at the location on the check, apparantly they were taken over by First National Bank.
I called one of their branches and they said that the account had been closed but they get 5-10 calls a day about this same thing. She told me the calls so far have been from a few surrounding states and was surprised and worried to hear that it was now way out here in California. They are desperatley trying to find out who is sending these letters all over the country with these checks.
She told me that I did the right thing by checking on this first. What happens if you don't research first and cash the check I asked? She said when you take the check into your bank, and if your bank actually cashes it, you will be held responsible for that money.
Since the account that the check is drawn on is closed, there is no money in the account for you to get, so your bank will come back to you and then you are stuck with a fraud check and owing money if you spent any of it.
Fortunatly I checked into this first but according to the banker I talked too, many people are getting hit by this. So if you get a letter stating you won a sweepstakes, check into it first. You don't normally get money like this just thrown into your lap.
0 comments