HONOLULU -- Big Island police want the public to be aware about a growing mail scam involving sweepstakes claims.

Residents reported receiving mail claiming the recipient won a large sum of money. In one case, one person received a check for $4,810 from "Ambassador International World Sweepstakes," police said. The company asked the recipient to deposit the check and send the cash back to the company so the company could send a larger cash prize.

The check, which misspelled the word "special," was from "Don Stewart Association Spacial Account, P.O. Box 2960, Phoenix, AZ 85062." The check was blue and about 9.5 inches long by 4.5 inches wide.

Police said you should not cash or deposit any such check. Instead, Big Island residents can call the Hawaii Police Department's non-emergency line at 935-3311.