Why do i have to cash their check and mail it back as a cashiers check back to the sweepstakes people?

Question

i received a letter and a REAL check from a sweepstakes drawing done by Readers Digest and it's for $3,100.00 I called the number on the bottom of the letter and they stated that i had to CASH that check and let it clear and MAIL it back to them in order to receive my lump sum of $65,000.00 What kind of scam is this and how does it work? I don't understand why they cant just keep their check and SEND me my so called: LUMP SUM! Is their any way to bust these people from commiting such a crime, if it is even a crime?Whats the whole point in US cashing the check and MAiling it back to them as a different form of check????

Answer 1

no clue but "buyer beware"/ sounds pretty bogus to me so be careful their $3100.00 check is not deposited to your account then quickly withdrawn by them thereby scamming you for the bucks. Sounds odd that RD would do this sort of thing but hey, ya just never know.I'd call back and ask for a second opinion too and get a contact name and phone no of the person you chatted with.

Answer 2

I agree with Michael N
ONE HUNDRED PERCENT
I am 63 years old.

The REAL Reader's Digest are headquartered in Pleasantville, NY, I think. They would probably appreciate your forwarding all the bogus materials to their corporate office. You can probably Google that address, send it to the attention of the C.E.O.

Not even worth calling them. Don't even incur a phone call for your expense. Just a postage stamp.

There are 1000's of people doing the bogus check, bogus USPS Money Order, bogus other money order stuff nowadays. The object is always to get YOU to cash the bogus check AT YOUR BANK and then forward some or alll (usually nearly all) of the proceeds somewhere else.

They end up with most of the money. You end up reimbursing the bank and explaining to the FBI that you are really not a criminal, etc. etc. etc.

Bank Tellers then very wary of YOU, or at least think you are a real dummy.

Might be something at http://www.msb.gov

FBI "not interested unless check is cashed." yep, that is a quote

SECRET SERVICE has a place to send emails, what happens after that you never find out, nor are the emails acknowledged in any way.

That's Life in the Big City forya, eh?

Answer 3

I don't really understand this but It doesn't sound right.

Perhaps you should call Readers' Digest ( and NOT the number listed on the bottom of that letter) ...and ask THEM if the check is for real.

"Sweepstakes" letters scam a lot of people ... into buying magazines .. into "sending money to collect money" ... etc

I think you are correct to be suspicious/


Be careful ... call the REAL Reraders'Digest.

Answer 4

Well its like this buddy, theyre trying to take you. That check in your hand is a counterfiet and I think you knew from the start. What they often like to do instead of cashing their phony checks is to recruit people off the net to do it for them. Usually, they'll have you put the money into a money order or a cashiers check because those cant be faked. Then while the money is on its way to sunny nigeria, youre brought up on federal charges for forgery (and believe me they will persecute you). So heres what you do. Send me this check and I'll help this friend of yours see the err of his ways.

Answer 5

Because it is a scam.

They send you a bogus check which you deposit in your account. You send them a cashiers check [guaranteed by the bank against your account] they cash it and disappear.

Go right ahead and send them the cashiers check, if you want to be out $3100!

Report them to the Federal Trade Commission what they are doing is mail fraud.

Answer 6

You're right to question it. It's a scam. The check they sent you is bogus. Just throw it away or use it to start your fireplace. That's all it's good for.

Answer 7

When something seems too good to be true, it almost always is. Has anyone asked you to send money to Africa to free up a lost gold mine yet? It is also a good policy to avoid buying bridges.

Answer 8

Because their check is not real. They need you to send a cashier's check so that they can get your money.

Answer 9

SCAM ALERT!!!!!!!!

Contact the Attorney General's office of consumer affairs for your state and forward this to them.

Answer 10

It is called money laundering. Their money is illegally gotten, and by having you cash them and send it back to them all trails lead to you receiving and transmitting illegal money.