SEATTLE -- Publishers Clearing House is getting ready to give away another $10 million prize at the end of this month, but don't be fooled by claims you're already a winner.

A spokesman for the well-known sweepstakes tells KIRO 7 that more and more scam artists are using the Publishers Clearing House name and logo to target people, because its name is synonymous with huge money giveaways.

Eloise and Ken Harmia of Aberdeen both received notices in the mail recently that promised they'd won millions of dollars. One letter was apparently written on Publishers Clearing House letterhead and included a check for nearly $6,000.

Cyndee Begallia of Gig Harbor also received a similar letter and check.

"The check looked really real. The publisher's clearing house logo was on there. Oh, and I wanted to believe that it was real," Begallia said.

But none of this money is genuine. It's all part of the most common scam being run these days --where criminals send you a real-looking check, ask you to deposit it then wire some of the money back to them: for taxes, attorney fees, whatever sounds believable.

"Out of the $2,950, they wanted $2,800 for the taxes," Begallia said.

The only real money is what comes out of your account when the bank realizes these checks are frauds.

"People fall for them. Not everybody, but enough that it makes it extraordinarily profitable. We have to educate each other and defend ourselves," said Doug Walsh, the Assistant Washington State Attorney General.

Begallia didn't send any money and the Harmias didn't even call the phone number in the letter.

Harmia said she never thought that the guy with the balloons and the van would show up at her door, but said she’s sure other people would.

There are two major warning signs the spokesperson for Publishers Clearing House wants to point out to people: If you haven't entered the sweepstakes, you haven't won. And in the extremely unlikely chance you have won, you'll never be asked to send any money for any reason.

Publishers Clearing House has more about these fake check scams at the following link: http://www.pch.com/infocenter/consumeraffairs/legal/news082508.shtml.