`SCAM ALERT` FOR CHEROKEE AND DEKALB COUNTIES

According to District Attorney Mike O`Dell, a couple recently came into his office bearing a letter they`d received along with a very convincing looking forgery of a check which was in the amount of more than $2,000.

The letter asked the woman to deposit the check into her own bank account - and then go to either a Sears or Wal-Mart store - and wire almost $2,000 through Western Union; she was going to be allowed to keep $325 for herself as a `fee`

According to the letter, the company mailing the letter and the check was attempting to hire the woman as an `Independent Private Evaluator` - after she completed the deposit, and the transfer of the money - she was supposed to then complete an evaluation form detailing her impression of the way Sears or Wal-Mart and Western Union handled the transaction.

ODell explained that if the woman deposited the money her bank likely would`ve accepted the check - she then would have sent almost $2,000 out of her checking account, and when her bank discovered that the check was a forgery they would`ve taken that money back out of her account.

In other words - trading `good` money for `bad` as she would have lost every penny of what she had wired through Western Union.

The letter supposedly came from a company in New York - however it was actually mailed from Canada and had a Canadian stamp on it. The phone number listed was for Toronto.

O`Dell said that it was clearly a scam, but it looked very professional.

He went on to say that it really boils down to this: if you receive a letter, fax or e-mail telling you that youve won a lottery that you never entered or one which includes a check for any reason and you werent expecting it, then its most likely a scam.

Anyone receiving any such material should take the paperwork to District Attorney O`Dell`s office or report it to the Sheriffs Office - and authorities will deal with it from there.

Reports may be made to the District Attorney`s Office at (256) 927-5577.