I got this letter in the mail with a $4100 check saying that I have winnings but I need to cash my check and then withdraw $2750 and then contact a number for payment instruction. It then says "Upon confirmation of payment of the processing fee from you to your agent, a final payment will be issued to you for $194780 less all deduction (i.e. Federal taxes, and surcharges) within 48 hours. The check looks real, theres no void sign on it or anything. The paper is signed by "Alvin Atkinson" and the address is 3220 North Parker, Ave. Indianapolis, In 46218
The top of the paper says"Cohen and Mayer Online Gambling Verification Centre"
....So . Do you think it's real? Should I call the #? Does it sound fake? LEMME KNOW PLEASE! Thanks!
I
2007-07-12 11:28:08 · 7 answers · asked by Brosima 2 in Games & Recreation ➔ Gambling
It's fake.
This is a common scam. You've won all this money from some bogus lottery or some crap. You deposit a check, send them a fee, pick up the winnings or some kind of similar sequence.
What happens unfortunately is you cash the check, send them money, the check later bounces and you owe all the money back along with penalties, interest and fees depending on your bank.
Then the con people that sent you the check will probably know where you bank and your account number. Armed with this information they will then try to rip you off even more.
My question is this, what kind of legitimate online gambling organization is going to send you two hundred grand out of the blue? Does that really seem likely? Gambling is about you risking your money for a chance to win something. There would be very little benefit to a company sending out random prizes to random people who have never given that company a penny and probably never will.
2007-07-12 11:32:33 · answer #1 · answered by ZCT 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is fake. The idea is that you try to cash it. If successful, then you send a portion of the cash to the person who sent it to you. They pocket the money and disappear. You, meanwhile, get arrested for cashing fraudulent checks.
And even if it fails to cash, you could be arrested on the spot when you make the attempt to cash it.
Yes, I know that's terribly unfair: You cashed it not knowing it was fake. They will explain that any reasonable person would have known it was fake and so you were expected to know it.
And now you do know it.
Don't cash it unless you like a jail cell.
I should mention that the same type of scam is often run on out-of-town purchases. You put a car up for sale and get a letter from somebody on the other side of the country. They offer to send you a cashier's check. They send you a fake cashier's check for too much and apologize, asking you to just send the difference back with the car.
They end up with the money and the car and you end up in jail.
2007-07-12 18:39:08 · answer #2 · answered by Waynez 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its a SCAM..
Think about it.. If you won a Lottery... Anywhere in the WORLD..... Don't you think they would fly you out there so, they can have you on TV and whatever else...
Think about it.. Here in the US.. If anyone wins anything even near a million.. Its all over the newspapers and TV...
There probley going to try and steal your identity or after you fill out Payment Processing.. There going to say please send us (about) $5,000 for the taxes and processing fees...
So, I wouldn't do anything but, just ignore them.. Or write back and say.. Send me the money and I'll send you the info back once I received it..
They will never answer you back.. and I would try and call you Internet provider and tell them about it...
Good luck with everything and let us know what happens...
Jay
2007-07-13 02:09:51 · answer #3 · answered by Jason 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Take the check and any other paper work to your bank, let them check it over. My bet is, it's a scam. Better yet, save the energy, wad it up and "deposit" it in the trash.
2007-07-12 22:40:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What everybody else says is true. It's surely a scam.
If you are in the US, you can report this to the Post Office. This constitutes mail fraud, which is illegal in the US.
2007-07-12 19:01:46 · answer #5 · answered by John F 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were you I would first take it to the police department they have all the things to check if it is real or not. Or you may want to take it to your bank. Of course banks know all about the money :P
2007-07-12 18:37:12 · answer #6 · answered by Priyanka S 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
its probably a scam...be careful!
2007-07-12 18:32:27 · answer #7 · answered by Lori C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋