Companion Insurance National/State lottery/Sweepstakes Draw Tulsa Oklahoma

On December 7th, 2007 I received a plain envelope with only my name and address with no return address, it only said Airmail in the upper left corner. When I opened the letter a check fell out. I looked at the check first and it looked real. It was a check for $4,850, drawn on the account of Keith Smith Company, Inc. from Regions Bank in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I then looked at the letter. . .

Companion Insurance
P.O. Box 213
Tulsa OK 74110
TEL; 866-414-7033

Claim Nr. : PFC/89235-214ZA 11/21/2007

FINAL NOTICE!!

We are pleased to inform you of your winning of all one time participants of National/ State lottery/ Sweepstake Draw held on October 30th 2007
Your name was attached to the ticket number 022-11558994-720 with the serial number 21143209 which drew the lucky numbers 9-11-18-25-33-39.

You have therefore been approved of a lump sum payment of USD $250,000.00 (Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars) payable to you by CERTIFIED CHECK, and will be delivered to you by our special courier company.

You are advised to contact your assigned agent Michael Johnson at 866-414-7033 Monday to Friday Sam to 6prn. Saturdays 8am to 2pm (Pacific Standard Time) for further instructions on how to claim your winning,

Enclosed is a check of USD S4,850.00 which you will use to pay the Non Resident Government Service Tax (GST), payable to your tax agent by MONEYGRAM or WESTERN UNION
TAX AMOUNT: USD $2950.00 (Two thousand nine hundred and fifty)

NOTE: Please do not act on this notice until you contact your CLAIM agent who will advice you on how to claim your winning. Remember to quote your reference number.

CONGRATULATIONS!! from all the members and staffs of Companion Insurance and thank you for taking part in this program.

Sincerely,

Rita Promise
Foreign Operation Manager
Confidential PagesDOC58783B389YTR524

I have to admit that with it being Christmas time and in need of money that I was excited. I was also very skeptical of it, I hadn't entered any lottery or sweepstakes so I immediately started doing some research online. I looked on the Better Business Bureau website but didn't find the company listed. I checked Yellowpages.com, no listing. I did find a listing for Keith Smith Company, Inc. the address was correct, the company is an egg hatchery business. What could this company have to do with any lottery. I went on ask.com and entered National/ State lottery/ Sweepstake Draw and found this site which told me intantly that this was a scam. I know a lot of people are going to get caught by this scam and I feel sorry for them. I'm just glad I had the sense to investigate before doing anything stupid.

Robertalabama
Pleasant Grove, Alabama
U.S.A.