866-230-8372

i received a letter from them ( re: prize winning payout). with the letter is a check for $4950. it came from canada. the letter stated that i won $250,000, but i have to contact my "claims agent" first, that the check for $4950 is for " the payment of the NON RESIDENTS CANADIAN TAX, that way i don't need to put up my money upfront". it stated that i call this number monday to fridays 7am to 6pm pacific, but i called anyway, (today is superbowl sunday) and the recording is for a different # and it's full.

I received a letter from All State Financial ( re: prize winning payout). with the letter is a check for $4950. from Cananda. The letter stated that I needed to contact a "claims agent" before doing anything about the check.  It was in the amt of $4950.  I called the agent, Cullin Kambell, and he explained that I did win $250,000.  The catch is that I put the check in my bank (no allowance for check cashing places).  He says that the check must be deposited in my bank account and here's what happens...first we send the company a moneygram for $3950.00, once they receive that then we must send them the other $1000.00 as a courier fee.  The courier then brings us the check for $250,000. In my mind, this is a TOTAL SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!  the "claims agent" i spoke with said that if I thought this was unrealistic that i could check it out with my bank.  The bank would verify that they were real and that their "TAX AGENT-Yvette Ferguson" would certify its validity. When asked if he thought it was possible that it was a scam, he replied: "Just put the check back in the envelope and send it back. The winnings will go to the next person.  I have looked every which way to find this business, these people, this address, etc. NOTHING comes up.

I got the same letter and cant find anything that makes sense.

Today is Thurs. Feb. 12th and I got the same letter except my check was for $4968.45.  I talked to "Collin Kambell" and he told me about the same thing.  Only thing, when i asked him if there was a catch he seemed to get alittle upset and said that if this wasn't a real offer then why would I have called you back.  At first I talked to the receptionist which come to find out was him.  What I think is that it is a scam that wants you to deposit the check then immediatly, call them and pay them the money that they want and then cancel the check before it clears, and of course you never get $250,000!!!!  I am just wondering what would happen if I deposited the check and then did not pay them their money until it cleared?  The one thing I am wondering if that would give them access to my accounts.

I recieved the same notice today (2-12) and I looked up the companies noted on the check and they check out. I, like yourself, am skeptical that this is legit. I have always heard that if you win a legit contest they will never ask you for money.

I also just looked up All State Financial and it came up as a Kerio Services that you have to have a password and user ID to log in on.  That, to me, is a little strange for a company that works with Wal-Mart, Sears, and Home Depot to do all of their "Consumer Promotion Draws" like what was stated on my letter.  Besides things like this does not happen to me except to make things worse.  lol

Jason, did they tell you to deposit the check and immediatly call them to arrange payment to them??

When I called, I just left a message with someone. The person told me somebody would be in touch. The letter I received does indicate that the check is to pay the taxes on the 250,000 winnings. The check seems to be authentic. So, I am wondering what the catch is.

I got a check for $4,968.45, with a letter stating that it was for payment of the (Non-residents) Canadian Tax, as stated above.  I got Collin when I called the number inthe letter (866-230-8372 ext 251).  He said he would call back when he got my case file.  This is an obvious scam, but the check looks legitimate.  I'm wondering what would happen if the check was deposited, but ther was no further interaction with All State Financial.  

Scott
s-f@carson-gold.com

The point of this scam is to find out  your account # they don't really care if you send them money. Once they have  your account information they drain out your account and then you will never find them. I heard about scams like this often. When I received this letter it went straight to the shredder, I advice you to do the same!!!

I got a  check for 4969.23, this looks to be a BIG SCAM, can anyone tell me how we should go and complaignt on this to Police?

We received a letter exactly  like the one everyone described above. I went to Wal-Mart today and the store manager never heard of All State Financial which is the company listed on the letter. He also never heard of the company Life Investor Insurance Company and he said that he worked for Wal-Mart in the managing department for almost twenty-five years.  Wouldn't he know the name of the company that is giving such a large promotion to the customers if it was legitimate???

so what did you do with the check????? i got the same thing!!!!!!!!

Same scam.  Our check has a company name of G.A & P Tea Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries in Montvale, New Jersey.  Surprisingly, this is an actual company and the correct address.  The bank on the check, BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware, in Newark Delaware, is also correct and the ABA on the check matches that bank's ABA number.  It seems that they are trying to get you to Moneygram (which requires cash) them the tax payment prior to the check bouncing.  You would then be stuck with the overdrafted account.  I don't think they care about your bank account information, but I could be wrong.  I am going to have my bank call to verify the account and availability of funds later today.

I got one of these also. Looked up the name of the company on the check, they are a valid company. I contacted their corporate headquarters and verified THIS IS A SCAM!! If you get one of these, they are trying to track down the source and the more info we can get them the better. The number to them is 866-443-7374, option 2, then 2 again. They are asking that a copy of the letter/check be faxed to them at 201-571-8899. This goes direct to Corp HQ.

I got the same offer.  Look closely at the check.  it's signed by WOODROW WILSON!  lol

Hi I got a check too for $4970 with the bank of new york(delaware) and a life inveswtors insurance company in cedar rapids IA!?!?!? My question is how did they get my name and address and how are so many people gonna get 250,000 from some prize drawing i don't ever remember entering anything!!

Has anyone tried to open another account and just see if the money clears then take the money and run?

I got the same letter in the mail! I called them just to see what they had to say, and when I asked the lady what the gimmick was behind this she hung up on me. At the point I knew this was scam, so I called them back to mess with them. Another woman answered the phone and I told her I was hung up on and needed to speak with someone to give me more information which she replied with "Well what did you do ma'am?" RED FLAG!!! I didn't do anything!!! So she puts the associate I was first talking with back on the phone who tells me we must have been disconnected...RIGHT! So she continues on her schpeel of how I have won this money and must pay Canadian taxes on it. I interject and tell her I am not paying takes on anything that I havent purchased or don't want to which she replies that none of the money comes out of my own pocket, but instead from my winnings. So again, I let her keep going just to see exactly what else she could come up with. A little bit more time goes by and I am offically tired of listening to her read off of the sheet of paper in front of her, when I cut in and say "Ok look, I am looking at complaint reports on ripoffreport.com and complaintsboard.com about how your company is a fraud, I don't want to be bothered listening to this anymore." Her response is classic!!! She replied with "Ya know what ma'am you are a b!tch!" I said back to her "If you were a legitmate company you certainly wouldnt be calling your customers "b!tches!" To which she replied with the ever so appropriate "Just go f$%k yourself!" She repeated this phrase about 8 times while I tried to butt in reminding her that she was continually proving to me how NOT legitmate her company was. Finally when I realized I wasnt going to be able to get through to satan's spawn, I replied very juveniley with "No, you go f$%K yourself!" and hung up. The best part...my check was signed by Susan B. Anthony and Woodrow Wilson. Hahaha what a joke! I want to call this company back and keep messing with them, asking for Susan or Woodrow directly to thank them personally for my check! How people live with themselves I will never understand...but do yourself a favor and immediately shred any documents you receive from Allstate Financial, unless you want to call them for a good laugh!

Dear hmsgrace,

I'm just wondering if you did, in fact, have your bank call to verify the account and availability of funds???  What happened with your check?  Or... did you just give up and call it a scam?

Please let us know!
Thanks!