In a letter posted from Canada (we're in the US), we received a notice from the "National Lottery Company Winning Processing Center" based at 39 Hackett Blvd, Albany, NY 12208 with a phone number of 604-781-3240. The letter contained a check for $1,995.00 from Z Reiss & Associates Inc. With an address of POB 320186, Brooklyn, NY 11232. They state that Z Reiss & Associates is one of their financial sponsors.
The subject of the letter was "national sweepstake draw winning notification / check enclosed" and in reference to winning code 101-6551, reference # LZ871074. The lottery payout to us was to be a total of $50,000—a share of $500,000 "divided between twenty winners nationwide."
The letter stated we were to call their number (604-781-3240) to talk to an account manager so that the check may be made payable. The bank was Hudson United Bank, 90 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004. The check was already printed with our name and address, check # 1721.
The letter further stated that, by law, we are not required to pay for any surcharges to collect lottery winnings. That is why we were sent the check: to "cover [the] state surcharge required to be paid on any lottery winnings."
The letter was written November 1 and if this process were not completed by November 15 they "shall assume these funds as unclaimed and [they] shall be automatically null and void." It is signed Sandy Baum, Operation Manager.
After research, we are assuming that the bank account number is stolen, probably not belonging to Z Reiss (their "sponsor"), and belonging to a closed account. If we were to call, they would okay us to deposit the check and wire them the amount. We would then be out the check amount and the check would never clear for the deposit, leaving us scammed out of $1,995.00.
Having never signed up for any sort of lottery, we believe this to be a true scam.
0 comments