This is a warning to anyone who might receive a letter from Canada, alerting you that you have won a lottery. The scam states that before you receive your prize you are required to pay taxes on the winnings. The notification also includes a counterfeit check to cover the taxes. If you deposit the check it will not be honored by your bank.

The letterhead might include the following fictitious company names:

Index Financial Services
Goldrain Financial Services
Region Financial Services
Royal Trust Financial Services
Prime Financial Services
Ameriprice Lottery Syndicates

The telephone number originates from Canada, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have posted a warning about this scam on their website:

http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/scams-fraudes/prize-prix-pitch-gagne-eng.htm

It appears that most of the targeted victims are in the United States. If you have received a letter or check from these people please:

- do not call the number listed
- do not give them any information about yourself
- do not cash the check
- contact your local FBI office and file a complaint

If enough people raise a warning about this scam to law enforcement, hopefully these scam artists will be brought to justice.

I recieved a letter from Ameriprice Lottery Syndicates, the # is 1-778-323-3436, Claims Manager, Roy Williams. Office Registrar, Henry Murphy. Saying I won$ 250,000.00. And sent me a check for $4,996.60. for taxes,Ins., Shipping and Handling fees. Pin # 77MMM133KL. A rep. will hand deliver the big check after I call.

I too recieved  the same correspondence as the individual above except the the institution listed is Amerprice Financial Inc. with a Las Vegas address. Being that the stamp on the envelope was a $1.00 Canadian stamp plus no return address was provided, I thought it was fishy.