Same MO as all the rest.  Letter & check $3500, arrived today.  Company is Penrod and check is drawn off of First Niagra bank.  The letter is from Customers Compensation Center at 50 Centra Ave, Tapppan NY 10990.  telephone #647-219-4536.  I found this website through Google.  Total prize winnings are $1.1 million and my take is $50,500.  I was given my winning numbers and my lottery ticket serial number.  The man to contact is Mr Jerry at the number above.  
As so many of you noted, the plain envelope, Canadian stamp and lack of return of address were the first clues of a scam.  The fact that I hadn't entered a lottery was also a great clue.
Like many of you, I was lucky enough not to get stung.  Thank you all for writing your information here to help others from getting caught.

i received a letter with a checkfor $3995.00 stating I had won a lottery. They requested a check back for $2,100.00. The letter stated I had won 65,000.00 however, I had to send the $2,100.00 for fees and taxes first. I called the number 16472107558 and spoke to a man who's name I don't remember now, however, he told me to wire the $2,100.00 to a certain bank in houston texas and gave me man's name a number. He told me to deposit the $3995.00 which I did deposit and then went to my bank to check it out, and of course my bank checked it out and it was a valid account with a hold on it due to fraudulent checks made on the account.I did not wire the money back, however, I did have to pay for several. long distance phone calls to canada on my cell bill at the #647-219--7558.I called my cell bill and they stated the call was generated through a  "micro-cell solution, Inc. " company which is a cellphone company. The company was *Advanced Control Tech. Inc.DO NOT cash these checks no matter what.The man on the phone told me that this sweepstakes was sponsored through American Express, Visa, Walmart, Walgreens and American Airlines.  This man is very convincing. Do not allow him to scam you.The check was on a "Sovreign Bank" which is a real bank, but thechecks are fraudulent.

i recive a letter stating,i have won 50.500.00 us dollars. lottery draw they send me a check for 3,500.0 and letter stated. 2500.00 for taxs.the check is from citibank the check look real. i look up name on the letter to contact mr.zack usman phone 1-647-219 4356. look this person name up on my lap top that when it hit me,scam thank you for the warning.

Got the same letter from Spotfunds Consultants in Ontario Canada.  $3,980 with Wachovia Bank logo.  Check looks VERY real.  I filled out a complaint form with USPS.

Got this letter today.  Knew right away it was fake but googled it anyway to be sure.  Check really looks legit.  Check dated 6/9/10 contact person Zack Usman and promo manager Amanda Holmes.Letter had NY address with area code that is not from NY.  I know that because I am from NY.  Check is from a Pennsylvania bank in account name Worth and Company.  Way too many incoonsistencies.  Probably meant to name the account holder Worthless and Thieves.
Glad this site is here to help alert people of this scam.  Anything with no return address on the envelope is questionable and worth researching.

My husband recieved a check for 3955.00 about a week ago with a letter stating that he had won 1.11 million dollars.This check is issued throught the bank of america. I told my husband not to do anything with this check untill I could do some research on this so called lottery. And I have found an incredible amount of web sites of people who have been scamed or atleast recieved the same letter or something close to it. I have put in a claim to the better business bureau and have even found a news paper article on this topic. I can't believe how many people have either recieved this information or have been scammed by these men. There has to be something that can be done. This is going through out the country and with these tough economic times this is even worse. I am going to keep investigating this and find out what can be done. The article I found stated to either contact your local police department or the Hampton Police Department @943-2421 but didn't put the area code in the article. I will post any new info that I find. But these guys deserve to go to jail for a long time they have gotten over on toooooooooooo may people and it doesn't look like they are going to stop any time soon, Someone needs to stop them. DONT FALL FOR THIS SCAM I AGREE WITH THE PERSON WHO STATED WHEN YOU WIN A LOTTERY YOU SHOULD NEVER BE ASKED TO PAY ANYTHING. IT SHOULD COME RIGHT OUT OF THE WINNINGS THEMSELVES.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also the guys name on the letter was MR. BOB MARCINDI claims dispursment agent and the person who signed the letter signed the name MICHAEL J. HIALOP promotion manager. Suposedly we had won $55,500.00 and the check for $3,995.00 was to be deposited and $2700.00 to be paid on taxes via WESTERN UNION or MONEYGRAM. The letter also gave the instruction to not use the check until we had called the number listed on the letter and talked to their agent. Our bank also told us that the reason why the scam artist are sending these scams out from CANADA alot and getting away with it is because the Mounties are having a hard time getting a handle on the scams and not being able to catch the scam artist. I pray that eventually something will be done and these scam artist will be caught.

My wife and I got the same letter except it stated it was sent from the NORTH-AMERICAN AWARD CLAIM DEPARTMENT. Also from an address of 500 CASINO SQUARE NIAGRA FALLS NY 11100 with a different phone number which is 1-647-866-4302. My wife and I took the check for $3,995.00 to our bank and asked them to check out the check to make sure if it was legit or not and also showed them the letter as well. We were told that someone was trying to scam us and that the check was a stolen check. Our bank told us that if we were to have cashed this check we would have been made out to be accomplices in this scam and the bank would have pressed charges against us for fraud and we would have been arrested. We do not appreciate someone trying to scam us and trying to set up as acomplices of commiting a crime that we did not commit intentionally. I'm sure glad I found this site.

Don't do it!! If you do you will end up oweing the bank that money bak when the bank goes to retrieve the funds and the check bounces and you can be made out to be an accomplice and you will be arrested!! My bank told me this. Nice try though.

We received the same letter in the mail 10/10/09 with Reader's Digest, Inc. Tel: 1-647-219-3789 for the Palo Alto, California address, stating they are to assist through the claiming process for Publisher's Clearing house and a Compensation Draw Sweepstakes.  The File Agent name is Mr Murphy Will 1, 647-994-3068 with a check enclosed for $3,628.00 to pay the Govt. Service Tax and Insurance.  This also said Final Notice from the Unclaimed Prize Division.  Also plain envelope with no return address and a Canadian stamp.
Is Publisher's Clearing House aware of this?  Does BBB have any jurisdiction if it is in Canada?
I did not call the number, but googled it and got this site.  How do I know this is also not a bad site?  Can anything be done?

I recieved a letter in the mail stating i won a lottery sweepsteaks ($55,500.00). Along with it was a check for $3,995 to pay $2,700 in taxes After calling HSBC Bank where the check came from (no help) I tried "niagara casino" at "500 casino square", (NO SUCH PLACE) I spoke with another casino there and the only thing that exsist at that address is a parking lot. Began to research "becker-paramount fee,llc" the name on the check and found this site thank GOD! I am very gullable and would of eventually cashed it if it weren't for this site!!!! thank you to everyone who wrote in these people are sick!!!

i got the same letter and check. googled it and came up with this. i am so gratefull that your site exists, thanks. and i  am taking the check to the police.

i received the same exact think..i ended up paying a 10 dollor check fee when it bounced because i was dumb enough to deposit it..i really believed it well this happened 2 months ago and he didnt take anything out of my account maybe bec im broke

I just received the same. The number was different. 647-818-3818. Hope everyone does research.

It is time to hunt down these repugnant sub-creatures and brutally murder their entire families so that they finally begin to understand that there are consequences to running cons like this.

Received too same letter and check. Thanks for the warning.

Hi,
I also got the letter today. Called Bob 647-866-4302 and he said to deposit the check for $3955.00 and to call him back for further directions. I lied and told him I had deposited check, just to see what came next. He said , of course, what he told everyone else, about wiring the money for taxes. I told him I was reporting him to the better business bureau-- I hope this can be stopped. I shudder when I think of elderly people or innocent people needing money , who might be lured in by these thieves!
I wonder what would happen if you just cash the check and dont respond to them-- how can they go after you?? Just curious...

I too have the same story as above. The check was from a DENBY USA LIMITED from BANK of AMERICA. The claims agent was Bob Marcindi,and the promotiom Manager was Michael J. Hialop.The strange part is,at the address of the company on the the check,there is a Denby Pottery co. ltd.USA in NJ.I wonder if this is how the scammers get their accounts.

I too, got the letter.  Same thing as noted above in many of these suspicious reports.  This time, check was from a Fluidigm Corporation for $3,955...check was drawn from a Wells Fargo account, local branch.  THANKS TO THIS WEBSITE and the responsible reporting of other cases , I was able to avoid being drwan into this scam.  
I did call the bank (Wells Fargo) to let them know about this fraudulent letter/check and their response was there was nothing they could do about it, and that it was recommended for me to report this to the local authorities...hope this helps!

I just received the same letter in today's mail, letter was dated 6-4-09.  I have had several phone calls from this company on the check called Shopping.Com, Inc.  I have hung up on them several times after telling them I am not interested.  The letter was Award Claim Final Notifiation w/a check drawn on JP Morgan Chase Bank for $3,955.00.  Everything else is the same asking me to wire them money.  It is sad that this has not been stopped yet by the government.  I am glad I did some checking including calling my digital cable company and asking them to check all of the addresses shown on the letter and check.  Thanks again for being out there when someone needs help before they get taken in.

I received a check for $3955.00 and a letter saying that if I paid $2900.00 they would release the remainder of my $55,500.00 prize.  I'm an attorney and I defended a client who received one of these checks because he cashed it and it bounced.  What they are after is some chump to cash the check and send him the $2900.00 by Western Union or Moneygram.

The check payee was "Generations Design & Con., Inc.  The letter was headed by Internationnal Award Claim Department.  The names were "Mr.Bob Marcindi" and "Michael J Hialop"

I also received the same letter from "International Award Claim Department". Check was from Caballero International Inc. I immediately knew this was a scam. At first thought it was joke. But after looking up the information on the website, I found alot of details stating this was a scam. This is truly disgusting and sad, as I am sure many people would fall for it in this tought ecomonic time. Thank you for all of the detailed information.

How much were the charges and did you actually get through and talk to a person?

I received the letter 5/4/09. It also says "award claim final notification". the address I got was 150 Casino Sq. Niagra Falls, NY 11100. also the phone # is 647-219-2896. The company name is Caballero International, Inc. How is it possible that in may of 2009 this scam is still taking advantage of many?

I also received a notification letter.  I was sure it was a scam but I phoned them and was disconnected.  I phoned back a second time.  I recieved my cell bill and I have charges on my bill for the calls.

THIS IS A SCAM FOR PHONE NUMBER 416-877-8302. THEY SEND CHECKS AND ASK TO DO A WIRE TRANSFER. THEN THE CHECK IS FRAUD THAT THEY SEND YOU DO NOT CASH OR DEPOSIT IT IS A SCAM!!!! PHONE NUMBER 416 -877-8302. THEY WRITE A CHECK FROM THE GLEN MILLS SCHOOL PO BOX 5001 CONCORDVILLE PA 19331 ON A CHECK FROM PNC BANK NA.

We recieved the same letter and then used a search engine and came up with your results/responses. Thank you, The most disturbing information is that IF YOU DEPOSIT A CHECK INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND IT DOESN'T CLEAR YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION IS SENT TO THE OWNER OF THE CHECK. Thank you so much for that information. That must be the scam in itself. Thanks again

i received a letter with a checkfor $3995.00 stating I had won a lottery. They requested a check back for $2,100.00. The letter stated I had won 65,000.00 however, I had to send the $2,100.00 for fees and taxes first. I called the number 16472107558 and spoke to a man who's name I don't remember now, however, he told me to wire the $2,100.00 to a certain bank in houston texas and gave me man's name a number. He told me to deposit the $3995.00 which I did deposit and then went to my bank to check it out, and of course my bank checked it out and it was a valid account with a hold on it due to fraudulent checks made on the account.I did not wire the money back, however, I did have to pay for several. long distance phone calls to canada on my cell bill at the #647-219--7558.I called my cell bill and they stated the call was generated through a  "micro-cell solution, Inc. " company which is a cellphone company.

Today my fiancee received the same exact letter. When I saw it I immediately knew it was a scam. The notice stated that it was the final notification. How is that when we never received anything from them before? His letter was from Canada.He is one of the 2008 North - American Lottery winners. Yeah right. We did an intense search because I knew it just wasn't right. Niagara Casino is not located on 200 Casino Sq.. Like the letter states, and i'm glad that he wasn't crazy enough to deposit the check. If you ever get something that seems to good to be true; nine times out of ten it is. The guys nam on the letter is Bob Clems. Beware of the scam.
FYI: If you deposit a check in your account and it doesn't clear your account information is sent to the owner of the check.

Wow, I just receive a similar letter in the mail today. It has no return address and the postage is stamped by Canada Postes. I became suspecious of it right away. The letter inside reads about an Award Claim Final Notification. The rest are exactly the same as M.F.'s described, except the check amount. Then I called 311 and the USPS to consult their opinion. Plus googled everything on it. Nothing matched.
Glad to know that this scam has be detected by others too.
Well, I would bring this to my local police station if nothing helps to verify this letter, as i'm certainly not calling that phone number it provided.

P.S.: I spoted several typos on the letter. LMAO.