OCEANPORT- Borough police are advising residents to be alert for a mailing to individual homes of a letter announcing them as a winner in a Canadian lottery.

The letter is accompanied by a check for about $4,980 and will indicate it is to help pay the Non-Resident Government Service Tax. The checkmay say that it's fromtheAT Chadwick Co. Inc. out of Bensalem, Pa., according to a press release fromthe police department.

"The lottery is a scam," said Capt.Mauro Baldanza in the release. "Peoplewill deposit the check in their bank accounts and send a moneygram orWestern Union payment per the instructions. Only you're using your money to cover the payment and when the check that was sent to you bounces, it's too late."

Residents of Oceanport as well as other area towns should be aware that the checks and lottery are bogus, according to Baldanza.

"Don't be fooled by the drawof a $450,000 payout, by sending them money to start the process," Baldanza said. "Remember, if it's too good to be true, it probably is."