Premier Financial Securities Inc. Premier Financial Securities Inc.: Beware of the letters you receive with your name and address on a mailing label with no return address. Midland Ontario

I received a letter in the mail in a white envelope with my name and address on an address label with no return address on it. I opened the envelope to find a check for 4890.00 along with a notice stating I had been declared one of the winners of the Shoppers Sweepstakes held on October 5th, 2008 in the 2nd category.

It also stated they tried to reach me regarding the winning of 250,000.00 US Dollars from a total prize money of 5 Million US Dollars that is being shared by 20 others that were selected through a random computer ballot system drawn from over 50,000 names. The letter went on to state the purpose of the enclosed check was to expedite processing and was deducted from my winnings to pay for taxes.

The tax amount was 2985.00 printed in bold letters to be paid by either money gram or western union. However, before doing anything with the check you had to contact a claim agent within 5 days. Me being curious, took the check to the bank, knowing it wouldn't clear;
wanted clarification. So the bank put a hold on it, with my consent, and I tried to contact the claim agent but got a message the mail box was full on his answering system. I suppose he was getting quite a few calls. I really would like to know how they were planning to get away with something as simple as that.

Boochie
el dorado, Arkansas
U.S.A.