An 86-year-old Grand Island woman received a letter saying shes expected in a Madrid office next month to collect millions of dollars in lottery winnings.

The woman, Beverly Seielstad, is highly skeptical of the letter, which informed her that shes the lucky winner of $4,550,000. She is expected to make some payment of her own before she becomes a millionaire.

Seielstad called Grand Island police, who advised her to send the letter to the Nebraska Attorney Generals office. She complied.

Seielstad is concerned that some people might lose some of their savings in hopes of bringing home the $4 million. People who pay the initial fee, she says, will be waiting an awfully long time.

So I think it should be in the newspaper to warn people not to fall for it, she said.

After receiving the letter, Seielstad called her cousin, who used to be the president of a bank near Omaha.

The cousin remembered customers who were so excited that theyd won all this money. Some of the customers wanted to withdraw all of their savings to get their hands on the winnings. With their interest in mind, the bank refused.

Seielstads letter came from people at the Mega Millions Lottery, who were delighted to inform her that shes the winner of a drawing held on Oct. 15.

This is a tax-free draw and all participants are selected through a computerized drawing involving more than 40 million people worldwide, the letter says.

In order to start the process of collection, Seielstad was told to contact the Foreign Service Manager/Remittance officer of Safeway Securities in Madrid.

If she cant make it to Spain, she must put in her claim before Nov. 30.

If the trip to Spain isnt feasible, a home delivery and insurance fee will be paid by the winner to a diplomatic agent in the United States.

The letter indicates that 5 percent belongs to Safeway Securities because they are the promotion company.

If a transfer is made to the winners bank account, you will be responsible for the cost of the transfer, the letter says.

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Grand Island woman not interested in $4.5 million lottery win - Grand Island Independent