Received a check for $3,950 from Duke Energy Corporation to pay the taxes on $50,000 because I was supposedly one of the winners in a UK & North America Consumer Promotion . The drawing was apparently done in the United Kingdom and I am to deposit the check in my checking account and send $2,970 to the Tax Agent through a Western Union money transfer to: Helen Edwards-453 2nd Avenue, London, United Kingdom.
Listed as the contact number in a mailing allegedly from the Wal-Mart Foundation informing the recipient they have won $50,000.00 and including what appears to be a check for nearly $4,000.00 to "help" with the taxes on the winnings. If you call this number you are direted to deposit the check in your checking account and then to call them back when the deposit has been made.
Received a check for $3,950 from Duke Energy Corporation to pay the taxes on $50,000 because I was supposedly one of the winners in a UK & North America Consumer Promotion . The drawing was apparently done in the United Kingdom and I am to deposit the check in my checking account and send $2,970 to the Tax Agent through a Western Union money transfer to: Helen Edwards-453 2nd Avenue, London, United Kingdom.
There is NO PRIZE - no LEGITIMATE SWEEPSTAKES sends you checks to pay taxes or fees with - just to have you WIRE most of it back to them.
The BOGUS check in the 1st RED FLAG
WIRING THE MONEY IS THE 2ND RED FLAG
THIS CHECK WILL BOUNCE - because the intent is to STEAL your money ONLY
the scammers KNOW the bank will release the funds to you within 3 - 5 days - but it will not OFFICIALLY BOUNCE until about 2 weeks. YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE BANK BACK!
Giving The Bounce To Counterfeit Check Scams
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/naps29.pdf
NAPS)—A new scam is swindling consumers: checks that seem legitimate to both bank employees and consumers, but that are counterfeit and leave unsuspecting consumers footingthe bill.
The Federal Trade Commission has a new brochure, “Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams,” which explains common angles used in these scams, the responsibilities of banks and consumers when it comes to counterfeit checks, and advice on how to avoid them.
While the angles used by scam artists may vary, the basics of the counterfeit check scam remain the same.
The consumer receives a generous check with an explanation that he or she has just won an award, a prize, a lottery or some other windfall.
The consumer is instructed to deposit the check and wire a portion back to pay fees, taxes or the like. The consumer deposits the check, the bank credits the funds to the consumer’s account and the consumer wires the money to the sender.
Some time later, both the bank and the consumer learn the check was bogus. Unfortunately, the consumer is out of luck: The money that was wired can’t be retrieved and, by law, the consumer is responsible for the deposited check—even though he or she didn’t know it was fake.
The FTC advises consumers not to rely on funds from checks unless they know and trust the person who gave them the checkor, better yet, until the bank confirms that the check has cleared.
Other tips:
• Throw away any offer that asks you to pay for a prize or a
gift. If it’s free or a gift, you shouldn’t pay for it.
• Resist the urge to enter foreign lotteries. It’s illegal to play a foreign lottery through the mail or the telephone, and most foreign lottery solicitations are phony.
• Know who you’re dealing with and never wire money to strangers.
• If you’re selling something, don’t accept a check for more than the selling price, no matter how tempting the offer or how convincingthe story. Ask the buyer to write the check for the correct amount. If the buyer refuses to send the correct amount, return the check. Don’t send the merchandise.
• If you accept payment by check, ask for a check drawn on a local bank or a bank with a local branch. That way, you can make a personal visit to make sure the check is valid.
• If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
• Resist any pressure to “act now.” If the buyer’s offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears.
To file a complaint and for more information, visit www.ftc.gov.