Canada is the new Nigeria ... OR... the grinch

that stole our Christmas. Apparently the newest crop of scammers are Canadian nationals and their scam is just as evil as the Nigerian con artists'. I received what would appear to be a very exciting letter in the mail last week. It purported to be a letter from a sweepstakes agent for a Viacom intl. sweepstakes, one of many I entered pursuing the American Dream. Of course, being cynical after all these years of Nigerians wanting me to claim mysterious inheritances and Asians wanting me to be their US liaison, I checked it out. Usually, in my vast experience, if it appears too good to be true, it usually is. I first checked to see if a business by the name of North American Sweepstakes Agency (I know, NASA, right?) really existed in NYC, NY. It wasn't in the BBB database, so I called the local office to talk to a live agent. She researched the phone number I was to contact and told me the area code was for Canada. She said there was so much fraud coming from there, that the RCMP (Mounties) had a task force for attempted economical fraud crossing borders that they had a task force set up. She called the phone hotline phonebusters, but I went to the website mentioned in their phone system because it was expected to be such a long wait. I filled out the complaint form and am holding all the documentation in case they want it as well as a printed copy of the report I filed. I am planning on contacting Viacom Int'l. to let them know an agent of fraud was using their trademark and name. I hope these perpetrators get caught and prosecuted. I was savvy enough not to get snared by them, but they stole something intrinsic from us, our Christmas spirit and sense of wonder at Christmas time. They stole our hope and belief in miracles at Christmas. You can't put a price on hope. Please, if you get an "award" letter, check it out with the better business bureau or your bank or law enforcement agency. Especially if they insist you not share y0ur news with anyone "for your safety". If you are directed to deposit by atm only, RED FLAG! Your bank personnel will happily verify whether or not the check is drawn on a valid account so you won't get ripped off. Also, if the check looks off, be wary. The routing number was in the middle of the check instead of being the first 9 numbers in the bottom left corner as is standard in US banks. Oh, and the zip code on the check was an Arkansas zip code, but the address used the two letter code for Arizona! Real smart con artist, huh? Have a safe holiday, may it be ripoff free!