Complaint Review: C. T. Financial Inc. Cardinal T

I receive a letter along with a check for $4,550.59 in today's mail. The letter was from C.T. Financial out of New York (company does not exist, I checked on map quest and the white pages) The letter stated that I won a Surveyors Sweepstake draw held on June 21st 2008, ticket number 022-11559 with the serial number 21143-25NAS and my prize was $150,000 dollars. It said I would receive a certified check by speacial courier and I was advised to contact Cherly or Derrick at 1-848-992-8353 (this is a nextell cell phone no name associated, I did a reverse look-up on whitepages.com) to find out the next steps. It said I can pay my tax agent through moneygram or western union.

Tas agent listed was Aster or Sergey
Tax Amount listed was $2,750 and it asked me not to do anything with the check until I spoke with the claim-agent.

The check was drawn on a Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. account number 5102274320 signed by Debby k Olson. I did call Wells Fargo and verified the account number and it is valid.

Everything is pointing to this being a scam but has anyone ever tried cashing the check without calling them?

Angie
memphis, Tennessee
U.S.A.