Some Valley residents targeted by check scam

August 12, 2007

By Hannah Guillaume/Frontiersman

WASILLA - Multiple scams are hitting Mat-Su Valley mailboxes.

Checks and letters declaring &#8220lottery” and &#8220sweepstakes” winners via mail are part of a scam that could cost cashers thousands of dollars, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

Don Anna Harper of Wasilla said she raised her eyebrows when an unexpected $2,780 landed in her mailbox this month. It was the second such check she's received this summer.

&#8220I knew it was a fraud, because I looked it up on the Internet,” she said. &#8220I imagine there are people that do think it's real.”

Letters Harper received came enclosed with bad checks written out for thousands of dollars by real banks, including Mid American Bank. The letters show Harper is a &#8220Skye Sweepstakes Prize, Inc.” sweepstakes winner. The checks are bad, and so is the sweepstakes business.

The Federal Trade Commission warns if the checks are cashed, the account holder could be held responsible for money lost and bad check cashing fees.

Harper said she took her &#8220sweepstakes” winnings to the Matanuska Valley Federal Credit Union and asked a teller to verify if the checks were real. The teller initially thought the checks were real, but when she ran routing numbers for Harper the checks came back false.

Last week, Alaska State Troopers issued a consumer fraud alert for similar &#8220lottery winner” checks appearing to be issued by State Farm Insurance. Those checks are not legitimate and should not be deposited.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that if you think you've been targeted by a counterfeit check scam, report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov or 1-877-382-4357, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at www.usps.gov/ websites/depart/inspect, or send the checks to Sgt. Derek Degraaf, 5700 E. Tudor Rd., Anchorage, AK 99507.