Sept. 2, 2008 — Look out! A group calling itself TD Financial, Inc. is after your money. The company, allegedly located in Toronto, Canada, is sending letters to Susanville residents advising them they have won $450,000 in a sweepstakes and lottery drawing. The company includes a check for $3,950, deducted from the winnings, so the winner may cash the check and return $2,700 to the company to be applied to taxes.

“The purpose of this check is to assist you to pay for the non-resident government service tax,” the letter reads. “Taxes must be paid in full before winnings can be legally released.”

The Susanville woman who got the letter took the check to her bank. After looking into the legitimacy of the check, the teller told her it was a fraud.

Had the woman deposited the check and sent the money, the check would have bounced and she would have lost the $2,700 plus applicable bank charges.

In the letter, the woman was advised to call claims agent Larry McKenzie, but the phone at that number is not answered.

The winner is to fax a money gram payment to another Canadian phone number.

If something seems to good to be true, it probably is.