Benton Police Chief Rocky King has issued a warning to all residents that a check cashing scam has been discovered in the Benton area. A local woman received a letter claiming she was a winner in the fourth category at a Computer Reward Program Bonanza held in Edmonton, Canada. Her alleged prize of $175,000 turned out to cost her almost $4000.

The letter went on to state that winners were selected via a random computer ballot system of all bank card holders in North America and that the program was designed to encourage clients to utilize bank cards more often.

Included with the letter was a check for nearly $4000. The victim was instructed to cash the check and send the money to a North American agent as a processing fee. It was not until the check was returned to the bank that the victim realized the fraud.

Chief King encourages anyone who receives a similar letter to contact the police immediately. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of any check, always hold the cash for 10 days to make sure the check clears. Once cashed, the victim is responsible for the money, and banks will come back on the victim for repayment of the bad check. When in doubt, always remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.