It is a scam operation by a company that calls themselves Premier Securities Inc. They contact people by sending letters telling you that you won  the SHOPPERS SWEEPSTAKES held on a particular date. They say yo are entitled to $250,000.00 in prize money.
They send also a fake check in the amount of $4890.00 and tell you to call 416-826-2774 give them your claim number of DH/SUL-0011 BEFORE you do anything with their check. The person that answers the phone and claims to be Bob Morris answers. He then attempts to instruct you to go to your own bank, cash the check and then take $2985.00 immediately to the IRS and 'pay taxes', He goes on to say that after that is done to contact them and they will 'release' the rest of your earnings.....it is a scam as the check I was given was a bogus account from Keybank located in Portland, ME. If you call the Fraud Department on whatever bank their 'supposed' check is drawn on you will discover the scam.
When I attempted to ask this individual any questions he was immediately rude and told me to do 'whatever'. I am shocked to think that a scam operation like this is still in operation......I have reported them to both the Bank and the RCMP in Canada.

Caller Id said: "BOB MORRIS". I don't know who it is.

My mother got the letter with a check in it for $3995.  The letter gives an address in New York City but the telephone listed is 647-219-1626.  It looks very fake but you never know so I decided to research it online because I got my suspicions about it.  Where can these folks be denounced?  We live in Southern California and some of the info I found seems to generate out of Canada.  Any suggestions?

letter from gold star securities , to good to be true. i did not sudmit my name to anyone in toronto,on. 647-219-1626 is a cell phone number.

i     got a letter in the mail along with a check, in amount of  $3,995.00 for taxes on $125,000.caim ws/785cac.

so we receive the same stupid letter in the mail saying we won 250 000 thousand dollars and to call them before we deposited the check, tge company name is MUTUAL SPECIALITIES INC. LOL!!! these suckers are making international frauds and please be aware of this scams. report it to the police or fbi thanks.

GOT THE SAME SCAM LETTER BUT THE NUMBER IS 1-905-783-2559

Thanks, me too. Paradise Valley AZ

I recieved a letter on saturday from swiss financial securities inc. stating that i am a declared winner of the shoppers sweepstakes held on september 5th 2008. The letter also said that they made unsuccessful attempts to contact me regarding my winnings. They said i had won $250,000 thousand dollars. That the total prize money was 5 million split between 20 winners. they sent me a check for $4,998.00 dollars and said it was to expidite the processing. they said i had to send $2,995.00 western union or money gram for the taxes on my big winnings. They also said when the winnings is processed i will recieve my lump sum of $245,002.00 dollars delivered to me by Fedex. The letter also stated to not attempt to cash the check until i call and that i was advised to call my claim agent immediately for further clarification as indicated below within 5 business days the name was Kelly Anderson with the number 1-416-834-0324 yours truely Mary Brown (promotion manager)
I am very confused right now because i have read so many reviews on this and everyone is saying it is a fraud. i wish it was true cause i could really use the cash right now. the check they sent me looks very real. i researched the bank that was on the check and i found it. the number they gave me did not go through. i cant find any swiss financial securities. there are similar names but none to the exact. so i believe it is a scam. for what reason i dont know. but i am not going to cash the check because i dont have to want to owe anyone or go to jail for any reason.

Same story as everybody else. This is the info I got that might be a bit different or similar to the one you got or might get.
Gold Star Securities Inc.
International Claims Department, 300 2nd St. Midland Ont. L4r 1Y5
Tel: 1-905-598-4736

Claim No: WN/UL-0077

WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATION

Bla, bla, bla, (same as everybody else).

Kelly Anderson, 1-905-598-4736

Yours Truly (No thanks!)
Mary Brown (Promotion Manager)

Just opened the mailbox and found the same letter, $250,000 in winnings & a check for $4995.  Our letter was signed by Mary Long.  Too bad, too, with Christmas only 3 days away.  Thanks for all the posts - this one's going to the sheriff's office tomorrow!

Thanks for all the comments guys....i got a letter from mary brown....now that i saw that it is a scam i will turn it in to the police. THANKS

This is horrible and makes me ill.  We just rec'd the chk today and of course it falls in line with everyone's blog.

My Father just received this same check in the mail today. Thanks to all your posts we were able to find out quickly this was a scam. The check was very authentic and the number they said to call was 1-905-783-2559. We will be turning this check into the police. Hopefully these people get caught soon.

I guess this scam can't be stopped.  My letter from Bob Morris came Dec.3
exactly the same letter and instructions as everyone else.  General rule of thumb, if its too good to be true it probably isn't!  I called and he asked me to hold and never came back on the line.  I called again and got a voice mail. It's unbelievable how much time and effort people put into being dishonest and hurting others.

well i received the same letter and same clam #, and like you lady was very rude when i question her and hang up.

I also received the same letter, claim # JH/CA-0011  from Gold Star Securities, this one from Brenda Hicks, and it asked me to call Kelly Anderson in Canada tel # 1-416-857-4757.

I received an identical letter (same amounts, etc); however, they are now Gold Star Securities and it's signed by Mary Brown with different phone numbers.  They have the same address.  But what everyone should keep in mind, the dead giveaway, is you would not be paying your taxes to a securities company - you would pay taxes to the government!  DON'T CASH IT!

Do not call this number. DO not cash the check. Do not send any money through western union to this idiot. I work against this kind of activity every day a work.

Hurting people for personal gain is not cool.

This is a scam. Just got a letter with the same address but it looks like they changed their name to gold star securities inc. and the bank was keybank in portland. I called them up and they said the same info everyone else listed. So just beware.

They are using a new number now. 1-647-831-9535 withteh same claim number and contact Bob Morris and Mary Long.  Also it falls under Premier Securities Inc.  STAY FAR AWAY AND DO NOT CASH THAT CHECK.

I received a check in the mail for $4,890.00 from Premier Financial Securities, Inc with a letter saying that I had won $250,000.00  The check was to deposited in my account. I was to send $2,985.00 to be paid by MoneyGram or Western Union to pay the taxes on the money.  I contacted the company.  They said I had won the sweepstakes from either Home Depot or WalMart.  They gave me an address in Canada to send the $2,895.00 to.  I called Wells Fargo Bank N.A. whose name was listed on the check, and they told me it was a scam but there was nothing they could do about it.  I have reported this to the local police.  I feel notices should be posted in at least these two stores and bank so customers should know what is going on. THIS SEEMS TO BE AN INTERNATIONAL SCAM AND I BELIEVE THE FBI SHOULD BE MADE AWARE.

It is a scam operation by a company that calls themselves Premier Securities Inc. They contact people by sending letters telling you that you won  the SHOPPERS SWEEPSTAKES held on a particular date. They say yo are entitled to $250,000.00 in prize money.
They send also a fake check in the amount of $4890.00 and tell you to call 416-826-2774 give them your claim number of DH/SUL-0011 BEFORE you do anything with their check. The person that answers the phone and claims to be Bob Morris answers. He then attempts to instruct you to go to your own bank, cash the check and then take $2985.00 call him and by Western Union or Moneygram immediately to 'pay taxes', He goes on to say that after that is done they will 'release' the rest of your earnings.....it is a scam as the check I was given was a bogus account from Keybank located in Portland, ME. If you call the Fraud Department on whatever bank their 'supposed' check is drawn on you will discover the scam.
When I attempted to ask this individual any questions he was immediately rude and told me to do 'whatever'. I am shocked to think that a scam operation like this is still in operation......I have reported them to both the Bank and the RCMP in Canada.

I just received the same letter in Miami.  My wife advised me she has entered several on line sweepstakes.  I have requested she no longer enter these contests.

Thanks to all who left a review.  It has saved me a lot of headaces.

Well believe it or not I got the same letter and check for 4890. Stating I had won 250,000. dollars out of 5million with 20 other people.  Claim number DH/SUL-011 same as a few others.  I haven't even called anyone about this, however, after see everyone elses claim and same as this I won't be calling.

Same as most of you i won $250 mill and was sent a real check watermarks on the back looked real for sure . But i knew right away it was a new twist on the old 411 scam.

Here in Michigan belive it or not you can get charged and spend up to 10 years in prison for passing this bad check even if you really belived it was real .

Best advice is to call you local FBI or if you really are mad call the RCMP in Canada and maybe just maybe they will play along with him and do a sting and grab him when he goes to pickup the cash .

But don't you call him anybody can probe around knowing that in fact the name was yours and for 39.95 they can find out alot of info on you and that can lead to them trying to steal your identidy and open up a BIG old can of worms for you .

I ALSO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THIS MR. BOB MORRIS STATING I WON IN A RANDOM SWEEPSTAKES CONTEST A SUM OF $250,00.00. BUT TO CLAIM MY WINNINGS I HAD TO CALL BOB MORRIS AT 416-826-2774 WITH INSTRUCTIONS. ALONG WITH THE LETTER WAS A CHECK DRAWN/ BANK OF AMERICA IN CHESTERFIELD, MO FROM COMPANY CALL MUTUAL SECURITIES INC. 18102 CHESTERFIELD AIRPORT RD STE.0 CHESTERFIELD, MO 63005 AND THE LETTER HEAD ON THE LETTER SAID MUTUAL FINANCIAL SECURITIES INC, INTERNATIONAL CLAIM DEPT. AT 300 2ND ST., MIDLAND ONT. L4R 1Y5 (CANADA). THE CHECK IS IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,890.00. $2,985.00 ARE TO PAY THE TAXES ON THE WINNING, BUT NOT TO CASH CHECK UNTIL I CALLED THE CLAIM AGENT FOR FURTHER CLARIFICATION WITH IN 5 DAYS. WELL, CURIOUSITY KILL THE CAT AND I JUST HAD TO CALL TO SEE WHAT WERE THOSE INSTRUCTIONS. MR MORRIS ASK FOR MY TELEPHONE # AND THE CORRECT SPELLING OF MY LAST NAME THEN FOR ME TO DEPOSIT THIS CHECK INTO MY BANCK ACCOUNT AND WHEN IT CLEARED TO CALL HIM SO HE CAN GIVE ME THE WESTERN UNION INFO. SO I CAN SEND THE AMT OF $2985. TO PAY TAXES AND THEY WOULD RELEASE THE REST OF THE WINNINGS. WELL, BEFORE I HUNG UP I ASKED HIM THAT WHAT KIND OF SCAM WAS THIS AND HE GOT A LITTLE UPSET AND SAID THIS IS NOT A SCAM. SAID IF I EVER SHOPPED AT WALMART OR HOME DEPOT THIS SWEEPSTAKES WAS WINNINGS FROM ONE OF THERE SWEEPSTAKES AND HUNG UP ON ME.
SOON AS I GOT OFF I GOT ON LINE AND SEARCH THIS COMPANY AND GUESS WHAT? ITS THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY. CAME UP ON A NEWS REPORT FROM FOX NEWS OF LAS ANGELES ON A RIP OFF REPORT. I PLAN ON TURNING THIS IN TO THE LOCAL POLICE AND THE FBI. I SUGGEST THAT OTHERS THAT RECEIVE THIS KIND OF LETTERS WITH CHECK DO THE SAME.
PEACE
GOD BLESS

I also received same letter and called Mr. Bob Morris he too kept placing me on hold & it began when i asked him for his name, through my conversation with him he rarely let me get a word in & stated taxes have to be pd in order to receive the balance of the winnings.  I work for a law firm & my job is to be skeptical therefore i did my research and found others have been sent the same letter.  I want to thank the people who took the time to comment on thses types of scams.  I would not dare deposit this check received. I feel i someone wins a contest, their winnings should be mailed to them directly & with taxes already pd. Thank you consumers for your input.

Just opened my mail and had the same letter... researched it online, and saw some postings that had the same ticket and serial number stated in my letter... evidently they are sending a form letter out to everyone on their list...

To good to be true right...

Houston TX

I got a letter in the mail too and it was for a $100,000.00 winning with a check written out to me in the amount of 3989.00 for taxes and clearing fees.  I called the number and the instructed me to deposit it in the bank and then call them back. The lady on the phone was very unprofessional and kept telling me to hold on...3 times when our whole conversation was less than 5 minutes.  The company is Shipco transport Inc.  which is a company and the bank is PNC Bank.  I took it to my bank for investigating and they were extremely skeptical. Now I do participate in sweepstakes and one happens to be the Publisher's Clearing House which they claim they may have gotten my info from.  The final straw was when I called PNC bank.  They said it sounds like fraud to them.  They did not even have funds in the bank.  Do not get scammed by these kinds of companies.  My guess is that in my case someone got fired from Shipco and is trying to pull off a big scam.  These people were so unprofessional I can't believe the person who came up with this scam is dumb enough to have these people answer the phone.  Also, there were no employees by the names of Susane Robinson or Sean Peter that work for the company.  The person who is suppose to be handling the tax payment doesn't work there either and there is no phone number for her.  Oh, and there is about four different addresses scattered throughout the letter and check.  These people are pathetic.  Sounds like you have the same deal going on and believe me it is a BIG fraud!