Complaint Review: Publishers Sweepstakes Commission Inc.

I recieved a letter in the mail yesterday that i thought would change my life!

AWARD CLAIM FINAL NOTIFICATION
After numerous attempts to reach you by phone have failed,we are pleased to inform you through this letter that our network system shows you as the lucky winner of $500,000.00 USD. All the participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from reader's digest , mail in ballot forms, internet submissions,publishers sweepstakes comision, computergames sweepstakes database which are from the USA and CANADA.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!
ENclosed is a check for $4,976.08 USD. payable to you to pay for apllicable processing fees and must be deposited inot your account only after speaking with your claims agent. your claim number is HW-0828157-OD. we ask that you keep your claim number confidential until your claim has been properly processed and funds remitted to you as part of our security protocol to avoid any DOUBLE CLAIMS.
All prize money must be claimed my september 19th 2008. please call your North American Claims Agent Mr. Jacob Sutherland at 1-888-571-6831 Ext.1 upon receipt of this notification for further instructions. PUblishers Sweepstakes Commission officea are open Monday through Friday from 10:00am-6:00pm EST.

For further validation or to obtain your verification code please contact the Internal Revenue Services office at 1-514-652-6902.
Sincerly,
Raymond Pierce
Director of Claims.

I did call the claim agent and i would only recieve a "goodbye" respond. I called the IRS services and spoke to a man who clearly stated that i was speaking to a government agent and the letter was not a fraud. he then adviced me that the claims agent was having difficulties with his phone line and to just go deposit the check and call him back ASAP. I did not want to deposit the check for in the letter it states not to deposit unitl i speak to a claims agent..i was not able to get through due to he fact that i live three hours behind NY time.

I called this morning to my claims agent and i got a machine to Mr.Jacob Sutherland and to leave a message. I left a message and have yet to recieve a call.I still have the check in hand and the letter. This check is unbelievably real looking..watermarks even on it.I decided to do a little research and came upon this website and realized that i was on the verge of being scammed. I have not yet called back that IRS number which is in Canada. I will keep this letter and check in hand.Hoping it be evidence when they catch these guy's!!!!

Cynthia
pacoima, California
U.S.A.