Providence, R.I. — Attorney General Peter Kilmartin says scam artists are trying to trick Rhode Island seniors into thinking they're sweepstakes winners so they'll pay a fee in an attempt to claim their prize.

Kilmartin says it's an aggressive scam and an elderly parent of an employee in his office received two notifications in less than a week.

The letters allege that the senior won hundreds of thousands of dollars in two separate sweepstakes, and contain a fraudulent check to help offset the associated "processing fee."

The instructions say to deposit the check, withdraw the amount of the fee and send it by wire transfer.

The letters came from South Africa and South Carolina.

Kilmartin says to throw away any offer asking for payment for a prize or payment to process a prize.