Complaint Review: World Financial Group / Ian Smith - Saint Louis Quebec Nationwide

I have also recieved a letter in the mail congragulating me for winning The World Financial Group Draw , claiming that I had just won $73, 500.oo . In the envelope appeared an actual check from Bank of America for $2,875.96. I couldn't believe it , what was this? Though I was skeptical , the check seemed real and I had entered tons of sweepstakes on the internet and through the mail. So , I believed that it was plausible.I felt thankful and relieved , I had direly needed financial help. Anyways, immediately the following morning I called the number as per the instructions on the letter to claim my prize money.There was an answering machine with a womans voice stating the company's name , The World Financial Group ,and saying to leave your name and phone number and that one of their representatives would return your call. A "representative" named Ian Smith returned my call within a couple of hours and told me that the check for $2,875.96 was sent to me to pay for the international taxes on my grand prize money of $73,500.oo. Ian told me to deposit the check and that once it cleared to call him at 1-780-604-4591 , the number that was on my congragulations letter and that he would tell me what tax office to send the money to and that he would arrange to send my grand prize via UPS. The check was issued by Bank of America so I went to one of their branches to deposit the check , I figured that they would know if the check was legitimate. The check turned out to be legitimate.However, I had a problem depositing the check. I suspected that this was a scam , still hoping I called Ian Smith and claimed that my check had cleared .He appeared to be elated , he actually started stammmering.Ian gave me an address to send $2500.oo of that check to for tax purposes.I was supposed to go to a money gram and send $2500.oo to Andrew Young in Washington D.C.Initially when I recieved this letter and check in the mail , I immediately checked it out on the web and found nothing written up about a scam with WFC pertaining to a sweepstakes or lottery.Once given the address to send $2500.oo to Andrew Young in Washington D.C , I realized that I was being scammed. In essence Ian Smith and Andrew Young were trying to get me to rob a bank with an actual Bank of America check and were allowing me to keep $375.96 of that money for my troubles.I decided to check this whole sweepstakes drawing thing from The World Financial Group out again on the internet and came across a complaint from another vicitm noted on July 16th , the article mentioned Ian's name. This is a horrible scam getting peoples hopes up and making them believe that they have won some sort of financial stability , I have health problems and direly need the money.I thought this money was god sent.If perhaps I didn't need the money so badly , I may not have been so devastated , just let down. But this scam , this fraudulant horrible joke just devastated me.I am writing this in hopes of seeing justice served and to help out other people before they fall victim to such a heinous crime.

Helpful citizen

New York, New York

U.S.A.