Golden Gate Sweepstakes And Lottery ripoff bank fraud Internet

I typically fill out lottery/ free give aways online. I don't expect to win, but I figure why not. So a few weeks ago, I received a check in the mail for a bit over $2000 dollars as a prize. Of course when things are too good to be true, they usually are.

I was instructed to contact the office to confirm reception of the check, which I did. I then proceeded to the bank to make sure that it was a real bank account. Being that the check was drawn on Bank of America, which is my personal bank as well, I was sure they would be able to provide me with that information.

After checking with a supervisor and looking some things up on the computer, the representative of the bank told me that it was indeed an open account in Connecticut.

This gave me the assurance that all was well and the letter was real. The next day I deposited the check into my account. From my understanding, the bank only makes $100 available on the same day in order to prevent a bad check being deposited and overdrawing an account.

A day or so passed after I deposited the check, and it went thru increasing my balance. I went shopping and eating and such, but still have about a thousand or so remaining in the bank. All was well until yesterday when I checked my balance. It was then minus two thousand plus dollars.

Upon calling the bank, I've been told that they can't see where the debit of over $2000 went to, but I can only think that it has to do with that check. What is a person to do when a check is cashed and it causes their account to be overdrawn?

I don't have two hundred dollars, let alone two thousand plus just to correct my account. I'm not sure what the next step is, especially since I'm being told that the bank can't tell who the debits where made to. All the money in both my checking and savings account was pulled out leaving my balances negative. If anyone has any advice, please share it, because I'm a college student who is making my way thru college on my own, so I try as best I can to save what money I do get. This has not only taken out the money from the check of $2000 plus, but as well another check due to my account being overdrawn. Thank you.

Shay
Irvine, California
U.S.A.