Rainbow Financial Trust Cash Prize Fraud and Identity Theft Ripoff Sunrise Florida

I received a letter on July 12th stating that I was a winner of unclaimed prize money in the amount of $58,000 in United States Funds. I was randomly selected through a computerized ballot system as a winner for the 2007 sweepstakes draws. Apparently the participants were selected through the computer from Readers Digest (of which I am a suscriber), Publishers Clearing House (we all get crap mail from them), Online Sweepstakes and Internet games, etc. (of which I've never participated in). The letter included a check in the amount of $3,188.20 to assist me in financing my international clearance fee. I was asked to contact an agent by July 25th, 2007 no later than 7:00pm Eastern Time. They ask that I keep my winnings and claim number secret until all funder are remitted as this is part of their security protocol. I was to quote my claim number in all my correspondence with them in order to avoid delays in my claim. The letter was signed by the prize coordinator Alan Norbert Brunner.

I called the number being very skeptical and when they told me I had to deposit the enclosed check into my active bank account in order for any more action to be taken on my claim I was convinced that this was a scam. I googled the bank name on the check that was enclosed and it appeared to be a legitimat banking institution. I then googled the company that sent me the letter, Rainbow Financial Trust and discovered the Ripoff Reports from other people.

Nh81
Gilford, New Hampshire
U.S.A.