Additional Information for State Farm Insurance

Per a June 1st, 2007 press release, the BBB would like to alert consumers that letters with counterfeit State Farm Fire and Casualty Company checks have been reported in Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

* Letters include a "Trip Award Notification" under a letterhead of Winston Financial Management, "230 Hamden st., Syracuse, NY, 13208."
* The letter is accompanied by a counterfeit State Farm Fire and Casualty check drawn on Bank One, Circleville, Ohio.
* The check appears to be made from an old item issued from the "Mid-South Office, Monroe, Lousiana, LA," as it is referenced.
* It indicates the accompanying check is to "help for the processing" of the total award (including a vacation).
* Letters have included two telephone numbers with a Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada area code (778-552-3679 and 778-552-4371).
* Checks carry a routing and transit number of 044115443, account 627119639. The check numbers differ.
* These appear to be random mailings since a non-State Farm client received the letter in Pennsylvania. It does not appear that the scam artists have a list of State Farm policyholders.

State Farm is aware of the scam and has notified the appropriate authorities. If anyone contacts you regarding this, please advise the individual that State Farm is not affiliated with this program, the check is worthless, and they should not attempt to cash it.

Consumers targeted by this scam may contact their local Better Business Bureau, or PhoneBusters (a Canadian anti-fraud center) at 1-888-495-8501.
On June 19th, 2007, the Better Business Bureau was notified of the circulation of what are believed to be fraudulent checks being sent to consumers and bearing State Farm's name. The checks in question are included with a "lottery winning notification" letter, and allege that the consumer receiving the correspondence is a winner of a large sum of money. The BBB would like to advise consumers that this type of offer is not legitimate and is a version of the Check Scam, where a consumer receives a check, is instructed to deposit it, and then requested to forward fees for "taxes" or "processing fees". There are in fact no funds behind the check and the consumer subsequently forwards his or her own money to the outfit requesting it. Alternatively the check may be fake, and by depositing it, consumers can be held liable for committing check fraud.

State Farm Insurance is not affiliated with the correspondence or this sender in any way. State Farm has not approved either the correspondence or the checks issued, and will take whatever action necessary to stop the sender from misrepresenting and misusing State Farm's name, address, and identity.