apex financial incorporated, lottery, resources management & payment verification tried to scam me into giving them $3850.00 Los Angeles California

I enter a lot of contests, and sometimes I forget the names of the sweepstakes I've entered.  So, when this letter came to my home, I got a little excited.  Luckily, I decided to look them up on the internet before I cashed their check.

Apex Financial Incorporated sent a letter stating that they were 'pleased to bring this official notice which confirms me as one of the second prize winner (no plural) in the second category of the EUROPEAN, AFRICAN and USA Consumer sweepstake, in conjuction with USA Departmental Stores.

The serial number 9243661 attached to my name (improperly placed comma), matched the first five lucky winning numbers and subsequently won me US$350,000.00(THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUDAND DOLLARS) from the consumers sweepstakes lottery held on June 16th 2014.

Apex Financial Incorporated (An Independent Body) has been assigned by the sweepstakes organization (another improperly placed comma), to inform and direct all the winners and to assist them in receiving their winnings.

PLEASE NOTE: WE DO NOT NEED YOUR BANKING DETAILS AT ANYTIME (it should have been any time) AND DO NOT DISCLOSE YOUR BANKING DETAILS TO ANYONE AT ALL. Payment of my winning prize money will be made by a CERTIFIED CHECK, and will be brought to me in person by their special courier company.

Enclosed there was a check in the amount of $4350.00 drawn on CIGNA HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY, 900 Cottage Grove Road, Bloomfield, CT 06002, supposedly to help me pay the processing fee. The processing fee was $3850.00.

I was advised to contact their claims agent: Mary Green @ 1-877 826 5830 @ 1-714 983 5798 Monday-Friday: 9am-5pm, to start my claim processing and to activate my check. I was cautioned to adhere to her instructions. (Why would I not be able to simply go to any bank and cash the check?)

It also stated that I should not act on this notice until I contacted Ms. Green to avoid cases of misappropriation and mishandling of prize monies.

It was signed, David Morgan, promotion manager.

At the bottom, there was and emergency global office number 011-44-745-276-520.

At the top there was listed, along with the USA office, an office in Africa, Ireland, and  England, including addresses.