Nocturne Financial Incorporated North American Sweepstakes bay street Tom James Sharon Owens Toronto Ontario

Today Monday June 16th,2008 I received a notification in the mail and as soon as I saw it wasn't addressed to me but to a relative with the same last name I was suspicious.So I looked up the name on the notification and got nothing...then I searched the address and was led here http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/333/RipOff0333517.htm
I read and noticed enough similarities to make up my mind that it was a scam.

The following is what the Notification had written on it:

NOCTURNE FINANCIAL INCOPRORATED(IN LARGE RED FONT)
550 BAY. STREET. TORONTO ONTARIO CANADA, M9P7C1
- TEL/FAX 1-905-598-3917 (all centered and bold)

June 10,2008
CLAIM NO. NAS/0076(in bold)

Sir/Madam,

WINNING NOTIFICATION(underlined and centered)
We are pleased to inform you that you are one of the declared winners of NORTH AMERICAN SWEEPSTAKES held on APRIL. 28TH,2008 in the 2nd Category..(everything from north to category was bold)
Ticket NO.76063580 drew the lucky winning NO.8507752(both NO and corresponding numbers were bold)

We have made many unsuccessful attempts to contact you regarding this winning
You are there fore entitled to the sum of $100,000 US dollars.(underlined and bold)This is from total prize money of $1 Million US dollars(in bold) that was shared and presented among the other 10 declared 2nd CATEGORY winners(from 10 to category in bold). Please note that all the participants were selected through random computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 names.(100,00 names. in bold)

In accordance with our disbursement policy, your claim number has been assigned to our North American Claims Affiliate.your claim number must be kept private to avoid a double claim

TO EXPEDITE THE PROCESSING, ENCLOSED IS A CHECK IN THE AMOUNT OF $4,900.00 US DOLLARS(DOLLAR AMOUNT IN BOLD), WHICH IS PART OF YOUR WINNING BEING SENT TO YOU,THE SOLE PURPOSE OF THIS CHECK IS TO ENABLE YOU PAY FOR THE APPLICABLE GOVERNMENT TAXES(GOV. TAXES IN BOLD AND UNDERLINED) ON YOUR BIG WINNING.

YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PAY A TOTAL SUM OF $3,900 .00 (THREE THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED DOLLARS) FOR THE GOVERNMENT TAX(GOV. TAXES IN BOLD AND UNDERLINED). THIS AMOUNT IS TO BE PAID EITHER BY MONEYGRAM OR WESTERN UNION (MONEYGRAM AND WESTERN UNION BOTH UNDERLINED AND BOLD) DIRECTLY TO THE TAX AGENT.

When the winning is processed, you will receive your final check(final check underlined and bold) a lump sum payment of $95.100.00(dollar amount underlined and bold) this amount will be sent to you and delivered by UPS.

Please do not attempt to cash this check until you call. You are advised to contact your claim agent immediately for further clarification as indicated below within 5 business days.

MR TOM JAMES 1-905-598-3917 (CLAIM AGENT)(all in bold)
Congratulations
Yours Truly
(signature)
MRS. SHARON OWENS (Promotional Manager]
END OF NOTIFICATION

Also noteworthy is the business on the check is "Nocturne P. Incorporated, Live event Production 300 E Harvestore Drive Dekalb, IL 60115" which seems like a legitimate business with this website http://www.nocturneproductions.com/ and the bank on the check is Castle Bank 141 W Lincoln Hwy Dekalb, IL 60115-3699 70-262/719.

I may try to get in touch with that website but if it is fake it might just help the thieving criminals.

Jeff
Humble, Texas
U.S.A.