Got a random check in the mail, what sould I do?

I got a plain letter, no "special" envelope or anything, with a check inside. At first I thought it was one of those insurance or credit card thing where they mail you a fake check, but it didn't have the "not a real check". So I went ahead and I read the letter that came with it. Turns out, it's from Canada (I live in California), odd enough, I got a product from someone from Canada that same day, only difference where the addresses, one (the check one) being in Vancouver, and the other in Richmond.





At first I though it was a class action suit that was being taken on a company I was a client off that's based in Vancouver (or somewhere in BC, can't remember).But when I read the letter, it was from some marketing group, saying that I had won a sweepstake for $9,700.00. At that time I though it was a scam.





But, the check is real. It has the watermark, the shield thing with the fingerprint, and is also from a real bank. Anyways, I will include the info below.





Baines Marketing Group


3860 Westwood Rd.


Vancouver, BC


V6G 8K9


DATE: January 27, 2011


Phone: (will post if asked to)


Fax: (will post if asked to)





Sweepstakes Claim Notification.





Final Notice


We have made unsuccessful attempts to contact you regarding you Consumer Rewards Program winning.





According with the Consumer Rewards Program policy, your prize award money has been forwarded to our clearing/disbusement institution to release your funds to you.





Your lump sum payout is US $9,7000.00 CONGRATULATIONS





Kindly contact Claims Agent Rachael Drew at (will post number if you ask) as soon as possible as you receive this notice for further instructions on how to claim your grand winning.





Yours Sincerely,


k.Matthews


Promotional Manager.





END OF LETTER





The check is from Fifth Third Bank, and it has my name printed in it. The quantity the check is for is $993.85





It has two signatures, printed. The check is real, or a really good copy.





Should I open an account with the check, and then empty it? Can they trace that?


Can any legal action be taken towards me if I cash it?


If I deposit the check, can they steal my identity?|||Since it arrived in the mail, I think you should take everything to the post office and ask about submitting it to the Postal Inspection Service.|||It's fraud: http://blog.geisheker.com/2009/09/consum鈥?/a>





(If you attempt to cash it, you can be arrested and charged for fraud.)|||There will be fine print somewhere. This is a scam without doubt. Throw the check away - it is no good.|||It seems like a scam to me. Check with Snopes.com. Enter Bains Marketing Group in the search.|||Have you ever entered this sweepstakes?


If not, that is no doubt a scam. Although I can't really see the point of this letter, any sweepstakes that claims you have won before entering is a scam, that is U.S. law.


To me it looks like another old Reader's Digest-like scam. You'll probably be asked to pay or buy something, and that is totally not normal, because there is always a free entry method to a legal sweepstakes.


Hope it helped.|||got same thing.they seem not to exist in phone book or entirely on web. called for a week.no anser. finally got someone who was quite aprrehensive. I will not cash check..still inverstinging. post new info if you can