GRANT COUNTY — The Grant County Sheriff's Office wants folks to be aware of a cash prize that sounds too good to be true, and could lose them some money.

Grant County detectives began investigating the scheme earlier this week after they were contacted by a citizen who received a fraudulent letter by mail, notifying that citizen that they had won a $40,000 award.

Grant County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Courtney Conklin said the potential victim notified the GCSO, and no one has yet been victimized by the scheme. He did say though that people should be aware that the problem is out there.

In this particular case, the victim was mailed a letter with a $3,400 check with the promise that they would be sent a future payment of $40,000. The potential victim was instructed to return the all but $200 of the cash via money order as a processing fee.

The Canadian company, identified as Atlantis Lotto Prize, Inc., told the victim that it would send the $40,000 after receipt of the processing fee. Conklin said the victim was told that international rules required the payment of the processing fee before company could send the money.

In a new release, the GCSO said that anyone who receives a similar check should advise their bank of the circumstances. The GCSO advised that if a person receives cash by depositing or cashing a fraudulent check of this type, that person may become liable for repayment to their bank.