I was wondering if anyone else has recieved a letter from the "company" and if it was a scam. I just recieved a letter with a check for $2,950.00 from a company by the name of Celebration Lotto E-Payment Inc. I called the number it said to and they told me I needed to deposit the check for verification that it was actually my account. Well, I then called the bank on the check because RED FLAGS are going up. They told me that the account is a fraudulent account. Well, I called the company back and asked them who they were trying to scam because I know about all kinds of stuff like this. She told me that it is not a fraudulent account and her manager will be contacting me. ??? Under the letterhead it says Publisher's Clearing House, Readers Digest Sweepstakes. If it is legit why would the bank say it's not. And what will happen if I deposit the check. Would I actually get the money and if so would the scammers be able to get any information about me? Has this happened to anyone else?? TY
2006-09-19 08:45:26 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Business & Finance ➔ Other - Business & Finance
This letter came in the MAIL. Not email. Just in case you needed that info.
2006-09-19 08:48:50 · update #1
I did sign up for the sweepstakes.
2006-09-19 08:52:25 · update #2
the bank can tell you if the routing number on the check is a valid routing number. did you give that to the bank when you called them? it might not have been valid. and...did you call your bank or the bank that the check is drawn on? somewhere on the check it should list a bank. you can call their 800 number and verify if it is valid. (if you need more proof. it is a scam)
here's what would happen if you cashed it...firstly, your bank would more than likely hold it so the money wouldn't be available to you right away. this gives them some time to send the check through the system and collect from the bank that the check is drawn on. that's when they would find out the account was fraudulent. it would come back to your bank and they would debit the money out of your account. if they had cashed the check for you, they would still debit your account (take your account negative if they had to) and you would have to give the money back. i used to work at a credit union. we saw this kind of thing all the time.
i'm not really sure how the scammers would get info on you unless they get cancelled checks back or something and the bank had written your account number on the check (not unusual) and the bank would more than likely stamp their routing number on it. that's all the scammers would need to drain your account.
2006-09-19 09:02:23 · answer #1 · answered by practicalwizard 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They need the account number. They get this info when you deposit the money and it gets returned as "insufficient funds".Sure,they pay the $25.00 fee,but they got your account number and will try to electronically withdraw whatever money they can from the account. If you deposited the check ,call your bank and freeze the account. Close it and in person,ask the bank to open you another account with a different number. Good luck.
2006-09-19 08:58:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a scam. If you deposit the check into your account the check has to be sent back to the "bank" that issued it for payment. The "bank" will not honor the check and the scammers will now have your account information, so they can drain your bank account. To add insult to injury, your bank will charge you a fee for the dishonored check. Don't deposit the check!
2006-09-19 08:56:18 · answer #3 · answered by sarge927 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you did not register for a lottery how could you have won it? That should be the first indication.
Publishers clearing house does not operate that way. Burmuda, and several other offshore places have no copywrite laws and scammers use them to send out copies.
The check will not be cashed by any bank that knows what it is doing.
2006-09-19 08:50:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to the bank and ask for cash... If the bank won't give you any then it's a scam... though I can't figure out what they are trying to scam in this case...
2006-09-19 08:53:28 · answer #5 · answered by Andy FF1,2,CrTr,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Trust your instincts. I think you already know this is "too good to be true."
Another thing -- NEVER call a phone number that charges you for the phone call.
Guard yourself from the quick fix. We all wish we could earn a quick buck, and scam artists know this.
2006-09-19 08:55:33 · answer #6 · answered by Sage 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What's going to happen is your bank will stamp the check NSF then forward your info to them and from there they steal your account and you life.
2006-09-19 08:57:00 · answer #7 · answered by Mrs. Butler ♥2 B♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tear it up and stop wasting your time, phone calls and potentially your bank balance. Do not give them any further information and on no account bank the cheque. By doing so they will be able to get your bank details and access it......................
2006-09-19 08:49:57 · answer #8 · answered by thomasrobinsonantonio 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HUGE phishing scam. Give it to the Postmaster.
2006-09-19 08:52:56 · answer #9 · answered by Mazz 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
don't trust them...they can steal info that way...very easy
2006-09-19 08:47:22 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋