NATIONAL LOTTO CO-OPERATION SWEEPSTAKES LOTTERY ( CHECK FROM ) CENTURY HEALTHCARE,INC National Lotto co-operation sweepstakes lottery I was sent a check in the amount of 4,455.87. was told it was to help pay for government taxes and fees in the amount of 2,998 to be paid through western union.. they want me to deposit this check , Miamisburg, Ohio

..or greatly cut down.

Now I am not blaming the banks for this..but if the banks did not accept these checks for deposit, or clear them before they are verified, the scam in this form could not, and would not exist.

Although the banks that except these types of checks are taking a risk as well (and I would think they were very aware of these scams), the responsibility ends up falling 100% on the victim. The customer must cover the fraudulent check deposit, anything spent against it and associated bank fees, plus the possibility of facing fraud charges themselves. In other words, the bank stands to make a profit off this as well (fees), where has if they did not clear or except the check in the first place, they would stand to make nothing. If the banks were to be held even partially responsible for clearing these checks, does anyone really think they would clear them? It seems to me the banks found a way to possibly profit from the "check 21 act", which was intended to be pro consumer. Smart buggers these banks. The scammers as well as the banks found a loophole that allows this scam to continue...and only hurt the customer.

Granted the customer should not be so gullible. I mean there are so many red lights..one being winning a lottery you never entered. And to pay taxes before you receive money? None of it adds up. But human nature, greed, naivety are what these scammers prey on, and it all too often works. So how can can you really place all the blame on a customer when they are depositing a check into a bank which most would assume would be the experts on checks? Just a thought.

There is really no other way to stop this as how can the law physically prevent anyone from mailing you a check..even if it is a fraud? Right? We will never be able to prevent all people from being naive and gullible either. So the ONLY way to break this chain that is feasible and can always foil this scam, is at the point of deposit.

Glad you were smart enough to catch this before it cost you dearly. I know there are some banks that will try to stop this..did your bank find this check fraudulent for you, are did you discover this on your own?

I read in the UK, the teller will toss checks like this in the garbage which as really cut down on this problem for customers.