Complaint Review: Standard Trust

A letter from the office of "Venessa Robert, Vice President Finance, Standard Trust Financial" claimed I had won $250,000 in "Lotto 649 Contest held on September 29, 2008." Enclosed was a $4,920 check from another company, PennWell in Tulsa, Oklahoma drawn on Valley National Bank, likewise in Tulsa. PennWell and Valley National Bank are real, but surely the check is fraudulent. The letter states "Your tax amount is $3,450 to be paid through MONEY GRAM located in every WALMART STORES around you" and that the check was "deducted from your winnings. You will be using some money on this check to pay for the taxes on your lump sum winning."

I am going to take the letter, check, and the envelope it came to the post office and let them investigate. Like other people reporting the scam, I am amazed that these scammers can continue to operate.

Iowa resident
Ames, Iowa
U.S.A.