MARCO ISLAND, Fla. - A Florida woman nearly fell victim to a scam involving a fake Publisher's Clearinghouse check.

Scammers sent Virginia Bingle a check for nearly $6,000, along with a statement. The check and statement appeared to be from Publisher's Clearinghouse. When Bingle went to the bank to deposit the check, it was determined that the account had been closed.

The scammers asked Bingle to send them a portion of her "winnings" -- a common tactic used by thieves, who commonly say the fee is required for processing, taxes or similar.  Unfortunately, many victims will send the money, assuming that their "winnings" check will cover the fee; the scam victim loses out when they discover that their prize money check won't clear.