Complaint Review: APEX Financial Services Inc.

I received this letter just shy of Christmas and with suspicion of a scam I have researched and found it to indeed be a SCAM. I want everyone to beware because I thought this would never happen to me!

I have copied this letter with its exact entirety so you can beware of what it entails as well as the steps I have taken to prevent this from going any further.

APEX FINANCIAL SERVICES INC.
3019 AIR FORCE BASE BLVD, ST JOHN, NF, A1B 3X5, CANDA
1-604-339-4998
NOVEMBER 26, 2008

Claim Number: AGA/CT/2008-01654327
FINAL NOTICE

We are please to advise you that you are one of the winners in the ALL AMERICAN SWEEPSTAKES DRAWING held among randomly selected individuals in North America in a bid to promoting family well-being. This drawing was held on November 24, 2008 under the auspices of GAMES/ GAMING ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA.

An entry slip with the number 4816794 attached to your name drew the lucky winning numbers 11-67-48-55-23.

You are entitled to the sum of US $450,000.00(four hundred and fifty thousand dollars)
Payable to you by CERTIFIED CHECK, and will be delivered to you be our special courier company. You are advised to contact your CLAIMS AGENT;

KEVIN JONES, 1-604-339-4998

Monday through Saturday.8amTo6pm (Pacific Standard Time), for further instructions on how to claim your big winnings.

Enclosed is a check of US $4990.00 which you will use to pay the Non-Resident Government Service Tax (GST), Payable to your tax agent by MONEYGRAM as stated below:

TAX AGENT: NIKKY SMITH
BLOCK #394 REVENUE AVENUE
ST. JOHN, NF A1B 4M6, CANDA

TAX AMOUNT: US $3990.00 (Three thousand nine hundred and ninety dollars)

PAY METHOD: Money gram
DO NOT ACT ON THIS LETTER UNTIL YOU SPEAK WITH YOUR CLAIMS AGENT KEVIN JONES who will advise you on how to claim your winnings.

Jeb A. Garfield (Promotions Manager)

Steps I have taken to prevent myself from being scammed as well as someone else perhaps not at weary as I am of these things.

1.) I googled the bank name on the check which was Wells Fargo Bank. Spoke to Customer service to verify this was an active account.
AND it was!!!

2.) I googled the name on the letter which was APEX financial services Inc. several different SCAM Blogs came up on different names but in the name they all had Financial services somewhere in the name. Amongst the blogs I found the Federal trade commission website and contacted customer services over the phone. Which customer service advised I make a report just incase it is a scam. SO I did!!!

3.) I googled the number to the name and address on the check R S EDEN (which the city was misspelled and comas where in the wrong places.) I then got a phone number to the company and called them to make them aware of the check I received from someone using their information. Customer service with R S EDEN verified this was a SCAM and they are in the process rectifying the problem.

4.) I contacted my bank on what I should do next go to the authorities, or is there anything else I could possibly do. Customer services with my bank advised me to bring in the check and they could handle it from there. I asked the represenitive what would have happened to me had I cashed this check that was made out in my name, she advised just because its in your name doesn't mean its not fraudulent and in that case I would have to pay back the money once it was discovered to be fradulent.

5.) My next and final step, I am going to the news media with all information and spreading the word around town via television.

I hope that with all my step-by-step measures I have taken to prevent this SCAM from happening to me, it will help this from happening to you!!!

Angela
summerfield, Florida
U.S.A.

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