It can come in your mailbox or on your phone. 17 News has a warning about two types of scams trying to get your money.
The letter looks real. It says you are one of the winners of the Mega Lottery in the U.K. It comes with a check offering close to $4,000.
"It said they had been trying to get in touch with me which was not true. I had won some kind of a lottery. Well first of all, I haven't entered a lottery," said Irma Camarillo.
The company and signature on the check are legitimate. But, the letter tells you not to use it until you call a number listed on the check.
17 News called the number. The person who answered had a thick accent. He asked for our phone number. When we asked for more information, the line disconnected. We called back and got a busy signal.
The scammer will send you a large check, and in return, ask for a personal wire transfer to pay for the difference. But, if you get a check from a stranger don't wire the money because these types of checks are no good.
Be sure to watch out for text messages. One appears to be from WalMart promising a shopping spree on the retailer's dime. "I think it's a scam. No one is going to give you a thousand dollars for free," said Eddie Bowhan.
The text message directs you to a website, but it is not the store's real web address. "It sounds great, but it's not true." said Carol Weinstein.
WalMart says these texts are not affiliated with the company. "We've been working with the FTC, the Federal Trade Commission, to see if we can have these websites shut down. We do encourage anyone that receives a text message to report it to the FTC or the California Attorney General's Office," said Kayla Whaling, spokesperson.
Similar offers through text messaging refer you to different websites to claim your big prize. Your best bet is to ignore the text or letter and report it to the Federal Trade Commission. That way you don't become the next victim of identity theft or fraud.
If you think you've been scammed or you spot one before becoming a victim, call 1-877-FTC-HELP.
