MEGA 2000 KINGSWAY FINANCIAL Mega 2000 aka kingsway financial INTERNATIONAL RANDOM DRAWS*MUST READ* We deposited the check Edmonton, Alberta Nationwide

Hello, hope you are doing well today. My husband and I almost got scammed and we really feel it is important to share this with ALL Americans so this does not happen to people any more.
We received a letter in the mail stating that we had won the lottery. I enclosed the letter, please read on.

MEGA 2000 INTERNATIONAL RANDOM DRAWS WINNING CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that: Jill
Ref# 407k21z030
Winner Code: NMTC 54353

Date: August 15, 2007

You are hereby informed that after the just concluded MEGA 2000 held in London, England, you emerged as one of the winners in the third category. Congratulations!! Participants were selected via a computer ballot draw from One Million Five Hundred Thousand names(1,500,000) drawn from Europe, Asia, and North America. Your name attached to coupon number 102-35485 with serial number 004-984 drew the lucky numbers of 12-23-15-27-33 which subsequently won the lottery in the third category. You have therefore been approved for the lump sum of $130,000.00(ONE HUNDRED THIRTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY). This is from a total cash prize of $3,500,000.00(THREE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) shared among (SIXTEEN) international winners in different categories. This is an annual competition organized since the New Millennium in our drive to go global.

A sponsor's check of $2,996.70 is enclosed to assist you finance your international clearance fees of $2,842.00. Your clearance fees should be forwarded to our designated North American Agent. However, you will receive a total of $130,000.00 minus $4,290.00(3.3% Sponsor's commission). Invariably, you will receive a total of $125,710.00. Your agent will give you further details.

In order to avoid double claiming or unwarranted taking advantage of this program by participants and the public, we therefore strongly advise that you keep this award highly confidential as part of our security protocol until your winning has been processed and the money remitted to you.

To commence your claim, contact your claim agent, CATHY ANDERSON, of, KINGSWAY FINANCIAL at 245 Dawson rd, ste. 405, Edmonton, AB, an accredited agency to Mega 2000 at 1-780-695-3803. Note that all prizes must be claimed not later than Sept. 7, 2007. Ensure you contact your agent for the AUTHORIZATION AND ACTIVATION of your check.

Congratulations! Once more.
(signed James Palmer)
JAMES PARKER
PRIZE CO-ORDINATOR

Along with this letter came a real check drawn on Wells Fargo Bank in California, however the letter was post marked from Canada. We deposited the check and waited for it to clear. We were instructed to send the clearance fee via money gram/Western Union and our certified check would arrive via Fedex whithin 2 days. After five days the check did not clear so we called the bank (PNC) to see what the problem was.

They stated the check was fraudulent and they were charging us $10 because we deposited it into our account. Bottom line, this is a money laundering scam. The idea is to send out as many as they can to people and have them send the $ before the check clears. They get $3000, your money never arrives and your account is overdrawn by approx. $3000. This is terrible, I'm sure you can see.

We have left a report on ripoffreport.com but really feel that is not enough. If you can broadcast this you can help so many people avoid being scammed. We Americans work hard for our money and do not need it taken away by people like this. What a terrible trick to play on people. Feel free to contact us as we really feel we need to let everyone know about this scam!
Thanks for your time and have a great day!!

This is the letter we sent to our local news investigating team, we suggest you do the same!! Getting people informed about this and other scams is very important!! Wishing you all the best of luck!!

Jill
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.