Reader's Digest / Trusted Media Brands review: prize money 108

My husband got one of the letters and checks from Pepsico and Reader's Digest also. I've been aware of this type of scam for about 6 months, so he's taking it to the police station tomorrow. We could use the money also...they might be targeting people with money problems because they would be the ones to jump at it without checking out the validity of the check.

This is too much! My grandma is also the LUCKY winner of $1M and received a check for $5125 "to cover any outstanding fees that have not been paid by Pepsi Co. directly". Her check is written from a bank account in Columbia, NC, with the account holder being NC State County ABC Board. The envelope is postmarked from Canada, with the return address of Chicago, IL; oh, and we live in California. How is it that all of us Californians are so lucky?!

Another website says to send the congratulatory letter to Pepsi for further investigation. That will be taken care of on Monday morning.

I too received one of these checks today. It also was sent from Canada. I called the bank, and it was a valid account with the funds available, but no one ever heard of the promotion. I am calling Pepsi in the morning. Pretty good scam that they have going. The only thing I can think of is that they are trying to get people to give bank info or something. I called the number several times that is given and there was no one to answer, I paged still no one returned my call, so I called the bank and they are turning it into security. I faxed the check to them so that they could actually see the check. So sad that some people might deposit and spend some money that they are going to have to make up to the bank. The old addage "If it seems to good to be true it probably is" fits in this situation.

MY wife recieved the same letter and check for 5125.00 2 weeks ago was told to call mr rizutton have never been able to get him i believe it is a scam also we also mailed a letter to him will wait to see what happens with it but am going to contact my police dept with it

Just to add to the info, mine had a plain window envelope in which the "Certificate" was folded, with my name and address. We also live in California. This envelope is run through a US postage meter and not stamped from its origin. Let's all not forget the warning..."Keep this Prize Claim Number and prize Information highly confidential" for your safety and security/" The certificate has a bar code at the bottom. The check for $ 5, 599.00. The check claims to be from a firm in Texas, but drawn on a Delaware bank. It sure seems as if somebody out there is involved in a HUGE fraud. It actually brightened my day for a few minutes until I went to the Internet ! These crooks must be stopped !

I got one today and immediately came to the internet to find out how many others got one too. I never entered a contest so I knew it had to be a scam. Also $5, 599 check printed nicely - and Canada postmark, firm in Texas and Delaware Bank. Must find enough unaware people in the world to make it work for them. My question is - who do we report this to?

My mom received a letter from Reader's Digest/Pepsi saying she won too! But it was a different contact person and when she called it said she could not make the call from this phone not sure if it had to do with her phone number being private but she ask me to check on the computer if this was true or a scam and sure enough it was : ( I've loaded some pictures of the letter and check of what my mom received through the mail and it was post mark Canada with a web site; www.Postescanada.ca over the stamp!

i too received a letter from Readers Digest-Pepsi stating i won a million. i was to call a Ron Pittsfield at [protected] BEFORE i cashed the check for $5, 599.00 i am from Ca. and never entered any contest in my life. i will take this to my bank today and see if they can't investigate. The envelope has no return address but has a Canadian stamp...IS ANYBODY A WINNER?

My check for $6000 was also mailed from Canada w/no return address. I had a funny feeling about it because I didn't enter a contest & no one I know entered me. So, I did a business search on the company, Barnes Family Funeral Svc, & the bank, Norwest Bank North Dakota, from where the check was issued. The mortuary is out of business & the bank is now Wells Fargo. I got some great assistance from Wells Fargo and was told the account is 'no longer active'. I'm tempted to call Mrs. Rachel Meyers @ [protected] x1, just to see what happens. I hope Readers Digest & Pepsi are aware that their companies are being used for this scam!

To BillyJo: The only winners are the scammers!

my grandma got one and i think its fake too

My wife received the same thing today. We live in California. We both immediately recognized a problem from many different "red flags". Obvious things, such as a check in advance of you winning a contest?! For "fees" not already covered?! That's not logical. A check from a domestic bank ("Keybank" branch in Fulton, NY for my wife's check of $5439.75) drawn on an account registered to "Longley Brothers Inc." of Fulton, NY?! The payor has NOTHING to do with Pepsi nor Readers Digest! Clearly the accounts of the fake checks are/were real accounts at real banks. The names, and possibly even the account numbers, are stolen. Clearly, if the recipient were to "pay" to the scammers, their account would likely be used for future victims... as they would now have a new "real" account number - and the $5k +/- from the victim. The origin is Canada, and the fake checks are french on the back, which probably protects them from US prosecution. As a side note, for those that have called the number, you might want to verify that your long distance service hasn't been changed. Past scams have been correlated to calling a number, which switches your long distance to an insanely expensive long distance plan... which is billed via your local carrier. If the new fees aren't paid, it could go to collections and foul up your credit (most people choose to pay the $50 - $300 first month's fees rather than fight it and risk their credit rating.).
Just remember: BAD people are out there. Use common sense, though, and they won't win.

Hey Yo this is Ken in Cally and my mom just got one of these dam letters!
Now its a scam 4 sure. These punk ### mother###ers are going to pay 4 this,
they ###ed with the wrong mother ###er... U know What I mean!
U need to ask the postman where this letter came from 4 starters.
then call the ###in postoffice and ask to talk to the ###in superviser of the US / Can
Post office. They are the mother###ers delivering these boggess letters to our ###in
doorstep. Got it...
Thanks for reading my post now lets get those wanna bee gangsters cause Im one
later peeps... Im near San Francisco any single ladies out there email me back
kensmedia number 2000 at yahoo dot com.. Have a good night and beee safe ok..
Ken

My grandmother recieved this Pepsi Cola Reader's Digest letter as well with a 5, 100 dollar check inside. We followed the instructions called the number and spoke with a Rachel Myers which some of you also know. She gaves us the instructions to keep it hush hush and not to tell anyone. Also to deposit the check in the bank and withdrawl 3, 500 out cash only. Right then we knew something was wrong and didnt add up. Because she told us she was an attorney for Pepsi Cola we believed her went to the bank and what do you know... THEY DENIED THE CHECK. THey said it was fake a scam and even Wells Fargo where the check was issued by confescated it and ran it thru their detection software. Now that my family jumped for joy got our hopes up just to be scammed by this is unexceptable and I WONT ALLOW IT. Not to make matters worst but today is my grandmothers birthday so im really pissed they pulled this crap over us. I will NOT be played for a fool and will seek justice till its served! Anyone with information or advice please feel free to comment. I am NOT letting this go those people are filth and I believe in KARMA so it will go around. THanks so much in advanced. Sorry to all those who are in the same situation.

Sincerely,
Michelle

I found this on the PEPSI CO WEBSITE! LOOK HERE!

Pepsico has an announcement on their webpage that this is, in fact, a scam:

Fraud Alert: We recently learned of a mail fraud scam that is falsely using the PepsiCo name. It claims that individuals have won "one million dollars" and a chance to appear on TV to win one billion dollars. They also offer a check for thousands of dollars, in exchange for personal information. This is currently being mailed to some consumers’ homes and we want the public to be alerted that PepsiCo did not initiate, nor does it endorse this activity. The check is not ours and has no value. We do not use these types of incentives for the purpose of collecting personal information from our consumers, and we would never ask our customers to divulge any private information. Please do not respond to the letters or attempt to cash these fraudulent checks. If you receive a mailing of this nature, we ask that you forward it to us at Consumer Relations, 1 Pepsi Way, Somers, NY 10589.

Thanks for giving us the chance to clarify the situation, and we encourage you to share this information with anyone who you think may have received this mailing so that they are not victimized by this fraud. We regret any inconvenience or concern.

dont fall for this guys its a scam!

Savannah

Got one of these for my mom today. She has been dead for almost 4 years now. I don't think she could have entered. The account is not active and the bank of america switched me to the fraud department.

I just got the same letter, check dated 9/11/09 for $5, 641.99. also from Canada. My daughter went on line and found there are no contest or giveaways put on by Pepsi cola/Readers Digest. and found this site that covers other people that have got this same letter.One person call the number and they were told to send money to cover the taxes. Beware this sounds like a SCAM. I am also contacting the police.

Received the same letter, Same info, diffrent name. The guy had me going until he said we had to send them $2800 TODAY! and then we would have to give the delivery driver who bring us the check another $2000 once he delivered the check. Its sad because there are people falling for this crap!

The thing that makes me really mad is that it appears that they send the scam letters to older women and dead people. Since I am still alive I guess that makes me an "older woman"! AND no money!

I will put the letter in the recycle bin after I show all my students.

my wifegot a letter today with a$4900 chech also postmarked Canada and the company's name is All Phase Electric from East HELENA Montana. The first thought I had is why would an electrical contractor be involved in a million dollar contest?Just for giggles I am going to call the person Amy Cooke tomorrow and I will post an update

TOTAL SCAM! I'm in California and there was a letter addressed to my mom in the mail today claiming she also won $1M... UUhhhhh - my mom passed away in 2005!

Similar to all of you - there was a check enclosed (bank address was in Ohio) and instructions were for my mom (wink wink since i didnt disclose she had passed on) to deposit the check; send a wire transfer to Yalick Banza in Montreal for 1/2 the check value. I got hung up on after I told Phil Risotto he was full of ### and was a lowlife for being a predator on our senior citizens

i got the same latter she told me to deposit the $ and withdraw the 3500.00 and she whus going to meat me at my home to git the $ 4 insurance and thin i wus going to git my 1mill. im now calling the fbi

my mom recieved the same letter and check for 5, 850.oo and our contact person was rachel myers!? an answer machine picks up but no one answers, they request that you say your name before the machine connects you to your contact person, this really made us happy for a few minutes till we found found out that this was a scam. the scary part about this is that women, mothers, elderly and the dead are being victimized. contact your local police and news channel. those canadians are going down.

My husband just received a letter from Pepsi Cola one in sponsorship with Readers Digest.
It says he won a million dollars! We were Happy we called the number, left a message for a call back. Then we started thinking it can't be true! If we won they wpould have sent a cerified letter. Then we looked at the envelope it came from canada!
Thank You for putting this blog on. I think we would have fell for thios scam.
So please everyone beware it is a scam. I even looked up both the bank and the other name on the check, the addresses were real in Wetumpka, AL. I am thinking of calling this bank Monday morning and sending them this letter and check

I agree with everyone above. My wife and I received a check from them in the amount of $3750 just before the New Year and were thrilled because my wife has been out of work since March. We called the number [protected] and spoke to someone calling themselves Brian Dobson. He said to deposit the check and call him back which we did. My wife and I are of course skeptical so we looked this up on the web and found this site. Our letter was from Readers Digest only and the bank issuing the check was in Texas. Just like everyone else the letter was postmarked with a Canadian stamp and the letter has a header with a P.O. Box in San Diego and an address in B.C. Canada. I work in the printing industry and see checks all the time. This is very realistic looking but ultimately it is a scam! Don't fall for it

I also received a book from the Readers Digest Company, who stated that by replying to their sweepstakes request I automatically join the book club even though no where on the sweepstakes form does it state that you do so. But by calling the Readers Digest Book Department at [protected], I told them that I did not ask to join their book club and should have never received any books from their company. I was able to talk to a customer service representative who politely apologized for the misunderstanding and cancelled my account. Good Job!

I recently sent for a free selection edition, never recieved it, second book came with a bill attached, wrote cancell on invoice, inserted a note explaining that i never got free book or gift, put book in mail for return, yesterday i got another bill, i will return this invoice also, marking it as cancel and another note to state that i never recieved the first one and returned the second one
Thanks, Dale

Lately, I have been aware that OLD Reader's Digest magazines are being shuffled IN WITH NEW READERS DIGEST MAGAZINES at the supermarket. What a scam and a good way for their ailing company to get rid of old issues!

Once you get the magazine home, at $4 an issue, you discover that you have an old issue. In my case, I had two February issues. And, the store was still selling the February issues at the very end of March. Then, you can't return the issue to the store 'cause it's a magazine and that's their policy.

So, then you call Reader's Digest and the real aggravation starts. I had one guy tell me: We ain't going to send you another magazine. And, this is the same magazine that is purportedly interested in grammar and high standards and they are employing someone in their Customer Service Dept who can't speak the language correctly. Then, another person in Customer Service refuses to do anything for me since I don't have a subscription with them. Then, they recommend that I buy a subscription. Huh!

The issue only costs .75 cents a month if you have a subscription but yet they won't honor a long-time (store) customer. And, I pay $4 each month at my supermarket and in February I ended up with two of them. And, the store won't return it 'cause it's a magazine. What a scam.

Shame on you, Reader's Digest Magazine.

I will never, never buy your magazine again.

we have received these books and I called to complain that we did not order and we were told SORRY and they would stop the books from coming yet here is another book. We just can not afford this book club as I was laid off of my job seven months ago and there is not enough maney to pay for these books. Please unsubscribe bessie from this book club. customer # [protected]

i tried to find the site to register for the ipod touch and no site seems to exist. i then tried to locate contact info and that doesn't seem to exist either. i just don't think i will even waste my time or money purchasing something that doesn't seem to exist

We recieved a book in the mail where the wrapper said it was free. In side is a contest that we have already been entered and that we did not have to send anything back. I read the contest information and it said we would recieve new books every 2-3 months. Thes price for these books would be $22.98 plus deivery and sales tax with a results of which we do not know because the delivery and sales tax are not given an amount. We did not order these books or resquest to be entered into the contest. The book is maked free on the external wrapping and there is no sugestion of price in the shippment. Therefore, I will not return and if a bill is sent I will not pay it, If any other books are sent I will give them to the libary and will not pay for them as I do not want them this is a scam to get me to pay for books I did not want or order. This is a very poor way to get business. I have subscribed to the Readers Digest Magazine for years, but when the renewal comes up I will not renew it as I do not like this kind of dishonesty. We were in business for 50 years and never had to revert to dishonesty to make our living. Maybe Mr. Ronal J Leslie should be fired or who ever set this up should be if he is not guilty.

Gwendoly Carol Glogas Dunkirk IN 47336 June 30, 2010

iam not really complaining.i got a mind stretcher crossword book, it is too hard, so i dont want anymore.my name is gary fetterman.p.obox 103 catawissa, pa 17820

I received in early June a book by the name VOL 3-10 Winter Garden, I did not order and now they are sending a PAST DUE notice. I will not pay I would only do is to send it back. My budgest is very low and can only pay for medications. Thank you

I received the book entitled "Crossfire" and immediately sent it back to you. Date sent was 3/14/11 . I sent it to : 7501 Winstead Dr., Louisville, Ky. 40281. I thought that was probably a better guess as to where to return it than the payment processing center. Was I wrong? Sorry. Anyway, I do not have the book. Please straighten out transaction. Thank you.
I really miss the fact that you do not give us a phone number to clarify these kind of things.I know that I am not the only one who has complained about these things.
Thank you
Bev Christensen acct. #[protected]

I have subscription that doesn't expire until 2017. Recently diagnosed with macular degeneration so I emailed asking if they could convert my subscription to large print. They would not consider it. Really arrogant company.

I am a subscriber to Reader's Digest. In the booklet is a small card enabling me to enter a contest for an ipod touch 64GB. I went online only to find out they have all been given away! How the hell am I supposed to enter a contest when there isn't a blessed thing to win? The contest closes feb. 29th, 2012. I would like something done about this and as soon as possible. This is the second time I've tried to enter and I do not think I will be subscribing to Reader's Digest again. Thank you very much.

I ordered a book and then got billed twice without the book. Then I Cancelled because I was so frustrated with getting billed for something I didn't receive. Weeks after canceling I then received a package saying I had two free gifts. I open the box and there was the book I cancelled along with another bill. I request this cancelled and was assured I would not receive it. I want to return it and I would like you to send me return postage. I'm very upset over this and do not want anything more to do with your company after this book is returned.

I received an amnesty notice saying that I owed $30.92 for a "special editions" book that I have NEVER signed up for and NEVER received. I called the number [protected]) and the lady told me I had already made one payment for $30 & something on September via a check to Reader's Digest. I know I have NEVER written a check to Reader's Digest but I checked my bank records anyways - no record of any check written in this amount or to Reader's Digest. This MUST be a scam.

Hello, I work for Reader’s Digest in Customer Care and I just came across your post.

I am sorry to hear you are being billed for a book you did not order or receive. We do not expect you to pay for something that you have not received.

If you would contact us directly by calling [protected] or emailing us at customercare@rd.com one of our agents will be most happy to make the necessary adjustment to our records.

Chelsea
Customer Care

I'm tired of searching the web for non-exsistant contests from Readers Digest and their affiliates. I'm so disappointed in them and will be leaving a relationship of over 20 years behind, that's how long I have been subscribing to RD.

We are sent a code to enter Reading other reader's complaint, he mentions his code is the same as mine Doesn't that tell you something What kind of contest is that We finally find the rd.ca/wii but only complaints are found Nowhere to enter code I intend to cancel my subscription to the magazine and not to answer any more of the numerous contest folders that arrive daily in my mailbox It is a scam fullblown for sure Only a trick to get us to purchase their products in order to win the BIG prize I am fed up