NORWICH – New York State Police are warning of a developing mail scam that has already victimized a number of local residents.

Sgt. Elizabeth R. Wonka reported Tuesday that area residents had been filing complaints with the troopers over a letter scam involving false international lottery checks being mailed to victims.

Wonka offered an example taken from a recently-seized letter.

The scam often claims that you need to cash this check for a certain amount, let’s say $5,000. The letter will say that you need to pay the non-resident government service tax before you can collect the rest of your Canadian lottery winnings, which is always a larger amount, $400,000 or whatever it might be. The letter requests that you cash the advanced check for $5,000 and mail a large portion of it to a third party so they can pay the tax and send you your winnings.

“They will say you have won, but you must send them money for the full earnings,” Wonka said.