WINOOSKI, Vt. -- You know the old saying, "If it's too good to be true, it probably is?"

Some Champlain Valley people are finding that out the hard way with the latest lottery letter scam that targets dreams of money for nothing.

On any given day, Patricia Ruhl's mailbox is full and she reads every piece of it. But last week, one letter in particular grabbed her attention.

"(It said that I was) one of 17 people internationally that had won this huge prize," Ruhl said.

It said she had won a $615,000 prize. All she had to do was fill out her bank information -- and her next of kin -- and easily get her big winnings transferred to her account.

But Ruhl quickly realized it was a bogus offer.

"Exactly. It's boloney!" Ruhl said.

Police said the whole thing is a scam; that there are dozens of people getting the letter and falling for it. Colchester police Detective Mike Fish said those that respond aren't getting money -- they're losing it.

"To the tune of about $14,000," Fish said.

Fish said that by filling out your bank information, the crooks can get in and wipe out your bank account. Fish said to remember you can't win something you didn't enter.

"Ultimately, if it's nothing you ever entered -- if you never entered any lottery from Spain -- there's no reason for them to be sending you a notice saying you won the Spanish lottery," Fish said.

Ruhl said the experience has left her wiser, if not richer.

"Yeah, it's disappointing," Ruhl said. "It's kind of like the old saying goes, 'If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.'"