Big Scam Exposed: Trusted Brands Alliance Financial Services
First, you should always be suspicious when you get a letter like this and be vigilant about doing your homework. I immediately went to the BBB website and typed in the company's name-Trusted Brands Alliance Financial Services. The address listed is P.O. Box 9000 St. Johns, US Virgin Island 00804. This address is also on the letter. The BBB had them listed as a non-member with no complaints to date. You should be aware that the file on this company was only opened in February of 07. That is only 4 months ago. So I cleared my search and did another one on the company that issued the check: American International South Insurance Company. Their address is listed as P.O. Box 1802, Alpharetta, GA 30222. They are not a member of the BBB and no complaints have been filed since the opening in August of 06. One red flag should be the P.O. Boxes!
Second, you should always check the letter itself over with a fine toothcomb. The first thing I noticed was that the paper was printed upside down. I know this because the person used a fancy paper with ivy leaves on it and at the top left hand corner is written Gartner Studios and it is upside down. Meaning it should be on the bottom right hand corner in order to be read properly. A Company that processes sweepstakes wouldn't be using a sheet of paper you could buy at Staples. Next, the letter tells you to call a phone number so your claims agent can tell you what to do next. When you call the number it repeats the number back to you and then beeps. I guess for you to leave a message. A Company that is legit could afford a better answering message.
Third, when you can't get the info you want from the BBB, do an Internet search. It will take 30 seconds and you will be surprised at what you can find out from the experience of others. I put the company name in quotes and did a Google Search. Bingo! This very scheme was reported to Scam Club. A woman tells how she followed the directions in the letter and got scammed out of $4,720.00. She describes that the claim agent told her to deposit the check and then write a check for a Michael Peri the next day. This was to cover the taxes and insurance. Then they would Fed Ex her the remaining $70,000 prize money. She did exactly as he said since the check cleared. Well after she didn't receive her money she got a call from the bank that the check she had deposited was returned for alteration. Now she was stuck paying the $4,720.
Fourth, check out the sponsor's. Everyone has heard of Publisher's Clearing House, Readers Digest, and Online Games. That may make you want to trust the letter. However, if you are smart enough to call the sponsor directly (like Art from Brooklyn did) and inquire about this letter, you would find out that Publisher's Clearing House does not engage with third parties to award prize money to the public. Any money less than $10,000 is awarded by registered mail and they do not preceded their awards with letters telling people they have won money.
There were more clues that this was a scam such as no return mailing address on the envelope and a stamp from Canada when the company is supposedly from the Virgin Islands. My point is you must fully do your research before proceeding and ending up losing all of your hard-earned money! If you get this letter you can report it to the FBI or send the letter directly to Publisher's Clearing House, c/o Director of Consumer Affairs, 382 Channel Drive, NY, NY 11050.
Published by Alicia Bodine
I am a single stay at home mom of 2 girls. My youngest has Angelman Syndrome so I had to learn how to work from home. I enjoy writing and using the programs on my blog http://paidtowrite.blogspot.com. Fee... View profile
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- Check all information with the BBB first.
- Call the companies sponsors.
- Look for clues within the letter.
28 Comments
Post a CommentI received this letter and check for $3,870.00, the other day and knew it was a phony. Why give me money to pay your fee, just to give me more money? Just give me the money and walk away. SMH! Guess What? I'm going to blast them on Facebook, and tell everybody to spread the word like wildfire. They picked the wrong on for this scam.
I just got off the phone with these guys, 7/2010 he is giving me the number for the IRS and the number does say IRS and then he brings up the patriot act and how I should get a government bond for 3500. What a scam. The problem is that they are using names that people could get fooled by. Thanks for heads up!
If you deposit the check you will find out later that the check will come back and you will owe the money. That is how they get you because it takes the banks awhile to find out that there are no funds associated with the account the check is written from.
Just opened the mail and received a check for $4,975.00. The check is real but I never
entered any lottery so I called the number and some guy who sounds caribbean tells me to deposit it in my checking account and then call him back so they can send me a check for $125,000.00. When I asked him who he was he hung up. I called back and it was a recording. It's too bad there are people in this world who try to take advantage of other people. Don't Be Fooled!!!
YEAH ,I GOT A CHECK TO AND THEY WANTED ME TO DEPOSIT IT AND BUY STUFF AT DIFFERENT STORES BUT WHAT GAVE IT AWAY WAS THEY WANTED ME TO DO A WIRE TRANSFER AT WESTERN UNION AND MONEY GRAM BUT THEY DIDN'T TELL ME WHERE TO TRANSFER IT TO ! HA! BOY ARE THEY DUMB CROOKS !
The Art Of The Mere 2008
Con the lamb in need of truth
Snake oil and the ten cent dance
Within a fallen world
Birth with pain
And the modern mafia {pork a dio's} call
The falling of all kingdoms
Once upon a time
Jesus walked and in part He spoke
They know not what they do
Among the days and nights 6000 years to bee
Note the sin nature
Grace is coming "halo birds"
Aprrox. 225 years remain
The jewish butt guess of His clock
Nobody knows for sure
And trust what faith can do
Everybody's got a story
I know where the cops live and just how zoomed who
Under the hot sun
The farmers helpers make the taxed bread
Ask yourself
Is your bed made that you reply
Such foolish sons and daughter of sweat corn
Tales of the wicked they pray upon the meek
Inherit wonders here on earth
What shall become of Canada
Flag it and the terms
Law and order
Watch this now Dr.Charles Stanley has said
The streets are paved within a world in motion
Plights
Scams
You guys were only promised 75,0000! I was promised 125,000.00 as long as they recieved a check for 2,875.00 for taxs of course. Funny they did not want us to tell anyone about the winning. What a joke I hope these guys go to jail.
the alleged company name was Alliance Financial Services from toronto Canada
I got a check for 4,995.50 they said i won this for playing a online game and the whole amount was 75,000.000 what can i do about this?
I got a check for 4,995.50 they said i won this for playing a online game and the whole amount was 75,000.000 what can i do about this?
I got a check for 4,995.50 they said i won this for playing a online game and the whole amount was 75,000.000 what can i do about this?