Consumer Promotions International, Inc. You're up to win $250,000! Just deposit this check for $4,600 and watch you money disappear! Toronto Ontario Canada

There are several letters, it appears, that are being sent to people saying they've won $250,000 that will be payable to you by Certified Check and you'll receive it by next day air via FedEx/UPS and you are to contact, before it arrives, claim agents "Clara Walker" or "Bennet Duncan" at the toll-free number of 1-877-249-7226, ext. 433.

The company, Consumer Promotions International, Inc. (who is in charge of the "Consumer Promotion Draw" you've just one) has thoughtfully provided you a check worth $4,600 to help pay the Non-Resident Tax payable to your "tax agent" by Moneygram.

The tax agents they give you to contact are "Theresa Whitehead" or "Mary Ramsey" and their address is: 2050 Royal Avenue, Edmonton, Canada.

The check looks very real, you can even look up the bank (Pekin National Bank) and find it on the internet, but on the check the address listed for the bank is very different than what pekinnationalbank.com gives as theirs.

The letter claims your entry slip was chosen from a draw coming from Wal-Mart, Sears, JC Penny, Home Depot, and Safeway within the USA and Canada. It gave the entry slip number as 676-1469 and your numbers 21-27-37-44 were chosen.

The letter looks real enough to make you believe them, but vague enough to make you think twice. The envelope it comes in is plain, your address just print on it, but probably not sent from Canada. The one we received had stamps from Portugal, as well as a Portuguese postal marking.

You will be out $4,600 and the scammers will have your account number.

Vicky
Alta Loma, California
U.S.A.