MIAMI -- A nationwide lottery scam is starting to show up at the homes of Florida residents.

The scam comes via the U.S. Mail, in the form of a bogus check and a letter that claims the recipient has won the money from a lottery sweepstakes, according to an alert issued by the Florida Lottery on Monday.

"Unfortunately lottery scams are widespread, and consumers need to beware," said Doug Pitts, director of security at the Florida Lottery.

The gambling association decided to issue the statewide warning after getting numerous calls from Florida residents in the past week, wanting to know if the bogus checks were authentic.

According to the Florida Lottery warning, the letter is typed on letterhead containing a Canadian address and is accompanied with a fake check from "Florida Leisure and Gambling," and contains a forged ink signature of the Florida Lottery Secretary Leo DiBenigno.

Here's how the scam works:

The bogus "winning" sweepstakes letter instructs the victim to deposit or cash the fake check and wire back a portion of the money to cover so-called surcharges and government taxes.

"The Florida Lottery will never ask players for money in order to collect a prize," said Pitts.

According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, $120 million is spent by victims annually, who send their money to the sweepstakes scammers.

Modern technology has made it more difficult for banks to tell the difference between a fake check and a real one -- until it's too late.

"During the bank's verification process, victims discover the check mailed to them is worthless," said Pitts. "Unfortunately at that point they have already wired the money," he added.

Tips For The Public

The winner of a legitimate lottery would never be asked to pay upfront costs to claim prize.

The Florida Lottery prize can't be won without the purchase of a Florida Lottery ticket.

To claim a prize, the original winning lotto ticket must be presented for payment.

For more information or to report a lottery scam, contact the Florida Lottery's Customer Service Division at 850-487-7787 or the Security Division at 850-487-7730.