Johnny Hendrix of Richmond received a check Friday that could have changed his life ... if it only had of been legitimate.

After getting his mail, he opened an envelope with a letter and a check enclosed. The letter was from the Irish Lottery informing him he had won $56,000.

“At first, I thought it might have been real, but I always check things out before I do anything about it,” Hendrix said.

That makes him among the lucky ones, according to Heather Clary, communications director for the Better Business Bureau of Center and Eastern Kentucky.

“We have talked to several folks who have fallen victim to these kinds of scams,” she said. “About a week ago, there was a man in Corbin who actually cashed the fraudulent check and it was returned to the bank. Now, the bank is threatening to have him arrested.”

The letter sent to Hendrix read: “You have emerged as one of the winners of the Irish International Lottery Programs. Participants were selected through a ballot system drawn from 8,000 names and addresses of individuals who previously signed for the North American Sweepstakes. You have been awarded a lump sum of $56,000 USD (U.S. dollars) in cash.

“A tax clearance fee of $2,987.53 has been financed with the enclosed check. Kindly deposit or cash the check to pay for your tax and clearance fee. You will receive $56,000, minus $5,600 (10 percent sponsor’s commission).”

Near the end of the letter, there is a suggestion on how to avoid fraudulent contacts in the future.

The letter continues: “This award program has come to public notice and in order to avoid unauthorized organizations or individuals contacting you, please ensure that this winning is kept absolutely confidential.”

Hendrix said he has never participated in or heard of the North American Sweepstakes.

The check appeared to come from Neff Engineering of Wisconsin, which is a legitimate business with additional offices in Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.

The account number on the check was formerly an existing account for the company, but the company closed the account when they became aware of the scam.

“This is the second time our business has been involved with a scam like this,” said Clay Neuenschwander, controller for Neff Engineering of Wisconsin.

Even though the business’ name is on the check, any consequences that stem from cashing or depositing the fraudulent will fall on the victim, he said.

“It’s not us (Neff Engineering) who gets hurt, it’s the person who deposits or cashes that check,” he said.

If anyone receives a check from the business, Neuenschwander suggests they take it to the post office.

“There are several different crimes being committed here, especially because they are using the postal service to facilitate the crime,” he said.

The maximum penalty for distributing fraudulent mail pertaining to lottery winnings is five years imprisonment plus a fine, according to United States mail fraud statutes. The penalty can be increased to 10 years imprisonment if 10 or more senior citizens are targeted.

However, Clary said the problem is that most of these scams are coming out of Canada or other foreign countries.

“Because these people are from out of the country, there’s not much local authorities can do,” she said.

Instances of mail fraud have increased over the years and are especially rampant around the holiday season, Clary said.

“I would guess that every third call we receive is about something like this,” she said. “It is blanketing the state and the country.”

In order to avoid falling victim to one of these scams, Clary suggests that people consider the bottom line and the law.

“It is illegal in the United States and in Canada to require someone to pay a fee in order to collect a prize,” she said. “A legitimate sweepstakes win will usually be sent by a courier or by certified mail.”

Hendrix wants to use his experience to help others in the community become aware of such scams.

“I want to let the people around here know what’s going on,” he said.

“In case anyone gets one, I don’t want them to get their hopes up. It’s just someone trying to get money.”

The letter Hendrix received also included two names as contacts. It suggests the recipient call Alfred Muller or Mary Hiestand of “Cowell Baker, a subsidiary of the United Trust Corporation,” which is not an existing business.

Muller was the first person Hendrix contacted after receiving the letter and check in order to verify it’s legitimacy.

“I called him Monday and he told me to take the check and put it into my checking account,” he said. “Then, when it cleared my bank, he told me to contact him and said he would give me information as to where to send the $3,000. He told me I would then receive a certified check for $56,000.”

When Muller was contacted by the Richmond Register, he declined to comment.

Anyone who receives a similar scam through the mail should report it to the Better Business Bureau by calling 1-800-866-6668 or visit the Web site at www.ky.bbb.org.

Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.