Got a letter from Readers Digest.

I've just received one of those checks with a letter telling me I'm a winner of the consumer's and merchandise reward context (spelled wrong) from them. It should have been contest. In the amount of 3,360.00. And the check as written Southeast Worker's Compensation Claim Center. But the bank says JPMorgan Chase Bank, N A It goes on to say that as a result won in Category 'D' you been have approved for the lump sum payment of 35,000 credited to an account with the above context claim number. (All wrong spelling is how they wrote it).  This has happen to me once before and I'd believed that it was a real check and cashed it. Bad moved and now I have to pay for this mistake for the rest of my life, because I had to go to court and the courts mark me as a felon.  So anyone who gets one of these check's should not cash it, nor deposit it in your bank account.  Do as I'm going to do and that is call the Hartford Fraud hot line.

Report the scammer's address to the British authorities here https://secure.consumerdirect.gov.uk/reportascam.aspx

I also recieved a letter and got through to a michael washington who told me to deposit the check do not cash it tomorrow in my bank account and call him after doing this and he would give me a claim # and that fedx would be delivering the check for 500,000 dollars on sat.  I figured it was a scam as I never entered a sweepstakes for reader's digest.  I just wish it would have been real.  what a let down.

Giving The Bounce To Counterfeit Check Scams
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/articles/naps29.pdf

NAPS)?A new scam is swindling consumers: checks that seem legitimate to both bank employees and consumers, but that are counterfeit and leave unsuspecting consumers footingthe bill.

The Federal Trade Commission has a new brochure, ?Giving the Bounce to Counterfeit Check Scams,? which explains common angles used in these scams, the responsibilities of banks and consumers when it comes to counterfeit checks, and advice on how to avoid them.

While the angles used by scam artists may vary, the basics of the counterfeit check scam remain the same.

The consumer receives a generous check with an explanation that he or she has just won an award, a prize, a lottery or some other windfall.

The consumer is instructed to deposit the check and wire a portion back to pay fees, taxes or the like. The consumer deposits the check, the bank credits the funds to the consumer?s account and the consumer wires the money to the sender.

Some time later, both the bank and the consumer learn the check was bogus. Unfortunately, the consumer is out of luck: The money that was wired can?t be retrieved and, by law, the consumer is responsible for the deposited check?even though he or she didn?t know it was fake.

The FTC advises consumers not to rely on funds from checks unless they know and trust the person who gave them the checkor, better yet, until the bank confirms that the check has cleared.

Other tips:

? Throw away any offer that asks you to pay for a prize or a
gift. If it?s free or a gift, you shouldn?t pay for it.

? Resist the urge to enter foreign lotteries. It?s illegal to play a foreign lottery through the mail or the telephone, and most foreign lottery solicitations are phony.

? Know who you?re dealing with and never wire money to strangers.

? If you?re selling something, don?t accept a check for more than the selling price, no matter how tempting the offer or how convincingthe story. Ask the buyer to write the check for the correct amount. If the buyer refuses to send the correct amount, return the check. Don?t send the merchandise.

? If you accept payment by check, ask for a check drawn on a local bank or a bank with a local branch. That way, you can make a personal visit to make sure the check is valid.

? If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.

? Resist any pressure to ?act now.? If the buyer?s offer is good now, it should be good after the check clears.

To file a complaint and for more information, visit www.ftc.gov.

I received a letter from the Crystal Financial folks saying I had won a $450,000 sweepstakes prize and asking me to send a Money Gram or Western Union payment of $3495 to cover UK taxes, etc.  I was advised to send the money to an address in the UK (19 Bedford Place, London, Attn: Wilma Johnson).

The letter included a check for $3,950 drawn on a JP Morgan Chase account in Columbus, OH.  It is apparently a legit account and the check seems to be official.  I took it to a local branch of Chase and they took it as evidence.

I then called Daniel (My assigned "claims agent") at a number in Canada (604-767-8529) and pretended to have deposited the check and asked him for my next step.  He told me that I was to go to my bank and withdraw $2800 in cash and then buy a western union for $2600 and send it to a Rachel Magic at the address in London shown in the letter.

I recieved a letter and check such as mentioned with all of the comments with the exception the letter has heading of "Crystal Financial Services UK" . All imformation (Sweepstakes Winner, Claims Agents, and Tel Number). The check numbers on the left corner and bottom of check are the same.. looks like a legitimate check. Not taking a chance going to call the fraud line and turn over to the authorities.

My letter came with Readers Digest name on it with instructions and a check.  The Check is drawn on Southeast Workers Compensation Claim Center - JPMorgan Chase Bank.  I haven't done anything with the check as of yet.  Did the bank tell you the check was NO good?

Thank you for the 800 fraud line number

Exact same thing happened with me. Definetly go to your local authorities.
You will be liable for any checks cashed.

This is a scam; I received exact same letter, except the customer care rep's name was Vivian Gomez.
Everything you describe about letter is exactly same. The bank said it was a fraudulent check. Do not deposit into your account. Take copy of check and letter to Attorney General's office in your state. My letter was postmarked out of Seattle WA. The 778 area code is Vancouver, BC. However, the fax number was listed in Arletta, WA. Good luck

SCAM!!!! Take to your Attorney General's office for investigation ...

From the Hartford...
Fraud Alert - July 2010

The Hartford has received notice that one of our accounts is being used in a check fraud scheme that involves receipt of a bogus Reader's Digest letter suggesting that the recipient is one of three finalists for a grand prize of $145,000.

The checks sent with the letters are for varying amounts just under $5,000 and appear to be from The Hartford's Southeast Workers' Compensation Claim Center. Recipients are instructed to contact a Customer Care Representative at a toll free number to receive instructions on depositing the check.

Recipients should not contact the toll free number provided in the letter.

Instead, anyone receiving this letter and check should call The Hartford's Fraud Hot Line toll free number: 800-547-9276.

I got this exact letter...what a joke. If I were you I would call your bank and tell them about this so that you do not get in trouble and spend the money that is not yours! Good luck!

Interesting that I got a letter from Seattle with a check from Southeast Workers Comp in Lake Mary Florida drawn on a bank in Columbus Ohio.  Isn't this a federal offense to use the US Mail for fraud?  I doubt if the local police will bother expending resources on this type of thing.  How about the FBI?

so are you saying u got the money? because i gotten the same thing in the mail,but did not proceed with it.

I also received the same "Reader's Digest" letter telling me I'm a winner.  Interestingly, I had not entered any sweepstakes, so I believed this letter and enclosed check to be suspicious.  The letter is dated 28 june 2010 and I was asked to call the following number 1-778-896-1345 and speak with "Virgina Peters" to claim my prize.  The letter was signed by a David Washington with a phone number of 1-778-320-3577 and a Fax number with a different area code of 1-253-883-1828.  

The check was made out in my name in the amount of $4,970.15.  The check was drawn against "JP Morgan Chase Bank in Columbus, OH from the Hartford account belonging to "Southeast Workers' Compensation Claim Center in Lake Mary, Fla.  As mentioned before the check number in the up right corner does match what appears to be the account number listed on the botttom of the check.  The 10 digit account number is very similar to those nubmers used by Bank of America.  

For those of you who have received these letters, DO NOT CASH THE CHECKS, this is a FRAUD.  Your bank will initially accept the check but it will return it and demand their money back or worse call the police to make a report that you are attempting to defraud their bank.  Please contact your local police department to report this fraud.  This is a scam.

Hi, I received almost the same thing im the mail today.  Since you are the only person who has got through to them, have you heard anything else or have you received the check yet?

I received a letter that looked like it was from Reader's Digest.  It that said I should call a customer care representative named Veronica Miller at 788-316-3542.  She said I won $145,000.00. She told me to go ahead and deposit the check that was enclosed for $4,980.00 from Guardian Life Insurance.  She said it was verification that I won the money and that they would be sending me a certified check for $145,000.00.  I believed her and deposit the check this morning into my bank.  The bank did not say anything.  I don't know what to do at this point...

worried in California

I also received a letter with the same information.  My letter came with a letterheard from Reader's Digest and the check being issued from Guardian Life Insurance.  Do yours show the same thing?  I tried calling the number to figure out the details of what I believe to be a scam but of course no one answers and there is not an option to leave a voice mail.

I also received a letter with the same information.  Note the Check number printed in the upper right hand corner - it does not match the check number on the bottom of the check.  Pretty sure this is fake.

I received a letter stating I had won a sweepstake from Readers Digest and to call the number listed to validate the award.  Just checking for the validity of the information.