'American Idol' Mail Scam

[Brian Damage]

FOX has taken the un usual step of posting a warning on the "American Idol" Web site alerting viewers to a sweepstakes scam purporting to involve the show.

The Web site message, on americanidol.com, warns viewers that sweepstakes-type letters printed on what appears to be an "Idol" letterhead - and allegedly signed by "Idol" creator/executive producer Simon Fuller - are fakes.

"The letter notifies recipients that they have been selected as a winner of a sum of money and contains fraudu lent checks and a phone number to call to claim the fake 'prize' checks," the posting reads.

"Fox, the producers of 'American Idol,' and their subsidiary companies, do not sponsor or support any lottery, sweepstakes or prize contest that resembles the letter referred to above."

The posting goes on to say that the show's producers are investigating the mail fraud "in conjunction with local and national law enforcement agencies."

Fox tells anyone who's received such a letter to report it to the US Postal Inspection Service at their Web site: postalinspectors.uspis.gov).

"Idol" officials were unavailable for comment yesterday.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/01082009...cam_149124.htm