I am SOOOO grateful that I trusted my instincts and decided to check to see if this was a scam. Bless all of you out there that wanted to make sure that you were protecting other innocent, law abiding citizens who wanted to believe in a miracle that was a fraud!!!
I just recieved a Reader's Digest sweepstakes winner letter today (10-05-09) and my family is in a desperate financial situation and I wanted to believe so much that this could help us out...then I read all of the other complaints that have been posted and it probably saved my family from becoming even more destitute. There is NO WAY I could ever believe that Reader's Digest does not know about this scam! My check was actually sent from AIG Annuity Ins. Co. from Amarillo, TX ("A member of American International Group Inc.") but there is also another financial firms name on it; BNY Mellon Trust of Delaware of Newark, Delaware!
The letter, however, is from Reader's Digest. If someone had stolen their letterhead, they would have surely known by now what was happening--unless they are involved at a silent partner money laundering level. I will take this to the state legislature and beyond if I have to!!! I am tenacious.