My parents received a letter in the mail with a check in amount of $3,994.37. This was for "administrative taxes and Clearance fees" of their winnings in the amount of $57,000.00. My mother thought this was too good to be true, so she had me look into it before they decided whether or not they were going to cash this check.
The check was from Angelyn Staffing, Inc., and the bank on the check was Heritage Bank, in McDonough, GA. The letter was postmarked from Canada, with a Canadian stamp, and the Horizon Financial company was located in Kingston, CA. Nothing seemed to add up.
I called the number on the letter and spoke to a David Dowka. I asked him several questions. This man had a European accent of some sort. He tried to transfer me off, but no one answered. He then took down my information and never called back. After some research, thanks to the internet and many phone calls, I found that this check is a complete scam.
The scam is to have victims deposit the initial check into their banking accounts. Then the victims are to take the check to "a place" to pay these fees with this money once the check clears.By the time these people get their money from you and get away, the check that the victims have deposited has now bounced and the victims are stuck with the overdrawn amounts.
The letter starts like this:
We are pleased to inform you through this letter that our network shows you as the lucky winner of an unclaimed prize money in the amount of Fiftyseven Thousand Dollars (57,000) in United States Funds. The system indicates that your name was randomly selected through a computerized ballot system as a winner for the SECOND QUARTER of 2008 Sweepstakes draw. Congratulations!!!
All participants were selected through a computerized ballot system drawn from Readers Digest, Publishers Clearing House, Online Sweepstakes, Internet Games, ets...
You are then suppose to cash the check, call a contact, in this case Susan Welch or Paul Sona, who will then direct you on where to go to pay the fees and taxes.
Just remember, if you win anything, taxes are paid to the IRS through and I-9. I called the number on the letter yesterday asking several questions. Called again today to no answer, just a full answering machine. Do not cash these checks. If you are caught, you could be arrested. It's not worth it.
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