Hello and thank you for entrusting me to answer your question.

Unfortunately, this is a well confirmed scam and you should not respond to this letter nor divulge any of your personal details.

Specifically, this scammer is operating a variation of what is commonly known as an "advance fee" scam, in which individuals are contacted and informed of sweepstakes winnings and eventually told that they need to pay a "processing fee" or bank transfer fee in order to receive their winnings.

Don't be misled. You can't win a sweepstakes or lottery that you never entered--voluntarily participation is required in virtually all jurisdictions. These scammers will take your "advance fee" and disappear with it.

I have seen this exact scenario presented hundreds of times and every single time it has been a scam.

See here for more information:http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt022.shtm

See also: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/phonefraud/sweepstakes.shtml

DO NOT give out your personal information. Keep all bank and credit card information to yourself as it can make you vulnerable to fraudulent use of your accounts or identity theft.

DO NOT respond further. Simply corresponding with the operators of this type of scam will increase your chances of receiving similar offers in the future.

I sincerely XXXXX XXXXX this information helps you and I wish you the best.

My greatest concern is that you are satisfied with the answer I provide, so please do not hesitate to contact me with follow-up questions. Although I cannot always provide good news, I hope that my answer gives you a better understanding of the law and your rights so that you can obtain the best possible result under the circumstances. Also, please bear in mind that experts are not credited for unaccepted answers, so I greatly appreciate you taking the time to "accept" my answer and leave positive feedback.

Finally, none of the above constitutes legal advice nor is any attorney client relationship created between us.