Publisher Clearing House, Inc. Sent letter saying we won $193,000.00; sent check to cover processing fees; needed $2,000 from us in exchange for winning check. Check was returned "LOST OR STOLEN" Port Washington New York

Received letter stating that I won $193,000.00 in Publishers Clearing House Sweepsakes, along with a check for $3,250.83 to cover our applicable proceesing fee, international clearance fee and non residential fee. The enclosed check was from a metal materials company in Dallas, Texas. The letter was signed by Michael D. Hayford, as Director of Claims, and requested that we call our claim agent, Gregory Mayer prior to depositing the check into our account. I contacted Mr. Mayer, he verified my supposed winnings, told me to deposit the check, and that I needed to give them $2,000 in exchange for the $193,000.00 check. He said he could overnight and wanted to know when they could send the winning check! Since my wife works in the legal field, and we were both suspicious of this company being in New York and sending us a check from a supply company in Dallas, Texas, we opened a brand new account and deposited the check. I told Mr. Mayer that once the check clearned the bank, then I would contact him to send the other check. Lo and behold, the check was returned from the bank as "LOST OR STOLEN". And to top it off, you cannot reach them at the phone number given in the letter - you receive a message in both English and French that calling is unavailable, please call back later -- no answering machine.

Chris
Las Vegas, Nevada
U.S.A.