Starluck Casino - Walter Levin starluck casino said publishers clearing house entered me into their drawing ripoff Toronto, Ontario

I got a letter and a check on 5/19/2007 from Starluck Casino stating that I had won money in a computer ballot system drawn from over 280,000 names in North America, Asia, Australia and Europe as part of their international promotions program conducted annually. My ticket number is 382-527-341 and would be deemed null and void if it remains unclaimed after 5-21-2007.

The check was for $2,975.00 to pay the international taxes and clearance fees, which was deducted from my total winnings. The fees have to be paid before the balance of my prize money was to be remitted to me. I won a total of $98,000. The cash draw amount was $588,000.00 was to be shared among six winners.

The letter states that I was to "keep this from public notice until my claim has been processed and my winnings are remitted to me to avoid double claiming or unwarranted abuse of this promotion".

The letter said to call a claims agent at (306)880-0738 at their head office for processing and remittance of my prize money to a destinaton of my choice. When I first called it said "thank you for calling Starluck Casino all of our agents are currently busy assisting other customers please leave a message and one of our agents will be happy to call you back" then the operator came on and said there was no more room for messages and hung up on me.

I tried calling several more times with no luck. I finally got ahold of a guy named Peter Andrey. He said that the Pubishers Clearing House had entered me into their sweepstakes, and I had won the money "fair and square". He said that I was to take the check to my bank and deposit it and wait for it to clear, then to call him back with the reference number (xyj2432121) that he had given me. Then he would put me in touch with an accountant so I could wire transfer the money to him so he could pay the taxes.

I began to get suspicous so I decided to do some research on the internet. First I looked up Starluck Casino and the phone number. They matched the area it should have been. I really thought it might have been legit. The check has offical watermarks on it and REALLY looks legit. The routing number is only 7 numbers long, it should be 9. I decided to contact Publishers clearing house to see if they sponsor Starluck like the letter said. I was told no they don't and that it is a fraud. They gave me a number to a national fraud hotline to call.

I looked up the bank that is on the check. NBT Bank in Norwich NY. I called them and they said they don't sponsor Starluck and they want a copy of the letter and check for their security department.

Then I found this site and now I know it is a FRAUD. Once you deposit the check they can access your account. I am going to my attorney general and the police station today to report this. If anyone out there gets the same letter, DON'T let them get away with this, report it here. I will keeping looking on here for similar reports. As the saying goes "IF IT IS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT PROBABLY ISN'T".

Melanie
independence, Missouri
U.S.A.