BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Officials at the Better Business Bureau want to warn you that scam artists could be on the rise due to the holidays being right around the corner.

One northwest Bakersfield women contacted ABC 23 after she received a letter from a company claiming be from Reader's Digest and Pepsi.

The letter came with a check for over $5,000 payable to the consumer. Officials at the BBB office in Bakersfield said that scammers are getting better in their tactics and will use the latest printers and computer equipment. The check has a watermark, gold seal and a trusted bank. The consumer said the the checked looked real. This scam is similar to one that hit the central valley earlier this year.

Potential victims receive a letter from the “Team at Pepsi Co.” telling them they are one of the Grand Prize Winners who have won a million dollars in a contest sponsored by Pepsi and ABC. Enclosed in the letter is check for $5,400 to cover fees along with instructions to call a toll-free number for further information. When your BBB investigators attempted to contact the contest representative, they could only reach a recording.

“This is a new twist on an old fake check scam,” said BBB President/CEO Doug Broten. “People are asked to cash the check and then send a portion to a wire address, usually outside the United States. Using well-known and respected company names like Pepsi and ABC adds a lot of credibility to the scam and lowers the suspicion rate among people who receive the letters.”

The scammers are actually guilty on two counts. First, they are guilty of attempted check fraud and secondly, they are guilty of idea theft. They stole the theme, “Pepsi Play for a Billion,” from an actual television special that Pepsi produced in 2003. Comedian Drew Carey hosted the show, which gave 10 contestants the opportunity to win a million dollars each. Anyone receiving a letter is encouraged to contact the BBB at bbb.org or 800.675.8118 and to file a complaint with www.ic3.gov.

Scammers also prey on your giving spirit this time of year. The BBB said you can check with them before you donate to a questionable charitable organization.