Postal Inspectors want to alert employees to a new scheme — letters are being mailed from Canada to U.S. residents announcing that the addressee has won a foreign lottery. A counterfeit United States Postal Service check is enclosed in each letter, with instructions to wire a portion of the money outside the country after depositing the check. The Postal Inspection Service is aggressively investigating this scheme.

If a customer presents a USPS check to be cashed at a Post Office, station, branch or other retail outlet, it’s imperative that the retail associate ask the presenter how the check was received and for what purpose. The employee must require two forms of ID. If the person is a Postal Service employee, contractor or vendor, request a USPS ID. 

If you believe that the check is related to a sweepstakes or lottery prize, do not accept the check. Call the Inspection Service immediately at 877-876-2455.

source: U. S Postal Service