Helping people with computers... one answer at a time.
We all receive emails that indicate we've won several different lotteries. Are any of these winning notifications valid? I'll review what to look for.
Leo, I received an email from a [name removed, just in case] of London England stating I had won US$ in a sweepstake organized by Microsoft and AOL. In the email numerous words were misspelled. I was told to contact [name removed], Claims processing agent, [number removed], Courier Firm: [name removed]. This email mentioned a [name removed], Microsoft Promotion Team,Vice President. The one stipulation is the winner remits part of the winning fund to a charity organization. Is this email for real or just another fraud email?
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Man, if every "you've won!" sweepstakes message I've received in the last year were true I'd be a very rich man. Heck, if even one of them were true, I'd be doing pretty good.
Short answer: it's fraud. Run away. Delete it. Ignore it. Don't ever be tempted.
That clear enough?
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Let's examine just why that is and what some of the clues are.
I just checked my junk mail folder, and in the last week I've received at least a dozen or more "winning notifications" of various flavors. "Staatloterij" (Dutch for state lottery), "End of the year lottery promotion", "YOU HAVE WON!!!", and so on.
Every one of them is totally bogus.
And worse, they're actually scams to take your money, not give you any.
Let's look at some of the clues the show you just how bogus these emails are.
And for the record, these clues apply to 99% of the all spam you get as these are excellent indicators of scams and other bogus emails.
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It's email. Let's face it, if you really won a lottery, someone would more likely knock on your door (with lots of proper identification) or at least send you a certified/registered letter. Email is an unreliable notification mechanism at best and should never be used for something this important.
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The email's not even addressed to you! This just gets me every time I see it. None of the messages that say I've won actually have my name in the "To:" line. None. In fact, none of them even mention me by name. You'd think that if I had in fact won some kind of lottery that my name would be known to the organization, and that they would actually use my name when they tried to tell me that I'd won. It doesn't get much more bogus than this.
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English is clearly not their native tongue. You said it yourself, "numerous words were misspelled". Once again, a legitimate organization would simply not do that. Even if they were based in another country they would take the time to make sure that spelling and grammar were up to business correspondence standards.
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They ask for money. This is the big tip-off in my book. In your case: "one stipulation is the winner remits part of the winning fund to a charity". Here's how it works: in most cases you'll have to actually send money before you "receive your winnings". It'll either be in the form of fees that they say must be paid up-front, or in your case I'm guessing that you'll need to make your charitable donation before you get your winnings. And those winnings? IF you get anything at all, there are several scams right now that actually send you a check that's so real-looking that it even fools your bank. Until it bounces a week later and your "winnings" are removed from your account, that is. All that after you've paid the up-front fees with your own real money.
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They ask for your details. Lottery scams are another great venue for identity theft. "Winning the lottery" seems like a perfectly legitimate reason to be asked for lots of personal information like Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and the like. It's not. Do not divulge your personal information to anyone you don't absolutely positively trust. Ever.
The fact is that the old adage is very, very true: If it's too good to be true, then it's not.
Unfortunately the sad reality is that these schemes exist because enough people fall for them every day. Out of ignorance, greed, or desperation, people think that they've actually won and fall for the trap. The net result is that they don't win at all, they lose. They lose their money, their belongings, their identity, and more.
It's fraud. Run away. Delete it. Ignore it. Don't ever be tempted.
That clear enough?
Article C3231 - December 8, 2007 « »
Leo A. Notenboom has been playing with computers since he
was required to take a programming class in 1976. An 18 year career as a programmer at Microsoft soon followed.
After "retiring" in 2001, Leo started Ask Leo! in 2003 as a place for answers
to common computer and technical questions. More about Leo.
July 13, 2010 12:57 PM
I get 5 or 6 of these each week. I simply delete them. Give me a break. I to would be a millionaire many times over if any of this were true.
July 13, 2010 7:44 PM
Firstly - copy and past into the tool bar, this URL
http://submit.spam.acma.gov.au/acma_submit.cgi
Follow instructions and submit.
The federal government [ In Australia ] has come down hard on these scams and actually follows them up and have the highest success rate of prosecution on the planet. Don't matter what country they are in, our Government chases these retards down absolutely and gets foreign Governments to arrest them. I used to get plenty until I started reporting them, now the only scams I get is by snail mail [ No kidding ].
July 18, 2010 3:27 PM
I think the first question should be: "Did I enter a lottery?
July 20, 2010 4:50 PM
There are some of these scams that have even been rated dangerous. I received several emails from former "African politicians" claiming they had lost their positions and needed to get their money out. A friend told me about a site from Hamburg University (Germany). It states that some of these have actually resulted not only in loss of money but also kidnapping: People had to fly somewhere to get the money.
It is as simple as this: No money for free. If you didn't pay the lottery you won't win (to my experience you don't usually get it even if you pay..), if you think you get money without work, it's scam.
The Hamburg site tells you to inform the authorities of your home country. I did. They were not interested.
By the way: Cell-phone and Computerproducers also do not give away free new modells if you send them your data per email....
August 17, 2010 12:33 PM
Mon, August 16, 2010 8:32:23 PMCONGRATULATIONS:YOU HAVE WON SHELL CAMELOT LOTTERY PRIZE OF £1,200,000.00!!!
From: SHELL GLOBAL CAMELOT LOTTO Add to Contacts
To:
PAYMENTCLAIM_APPLICATION_FORM.jpg (1561KB)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOTTERY RESULTS 2010!!
FROM: THE DESK OF THE
E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT,
SHELL GLOBAL CAMELOT LOTTERY AWARD INC.
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT LONDON
WC1B 4AR.
REFERENCE NO: LSEAA/2031/8161/10
BATCH NO: R3/A312-59
ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION
AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
This is to notify you that your email address has won £1,200,000.00 in the Ponds Millions Email Draw (Sponsored by Shell Global Camelot Groups www.camelotgroup.co.uk) in which e-mail addresses were picked randomly by computerised balloting, powered by the Internet. (One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds (£1,200,000.00 GBP) cash payment will be released to you from this regional branch office in JAKARTA INDONESIA . To claim your prize, please contact Claims Officer on the email with the claims requirement listed below;
***************************************
Barrister Mohamad Mostafa (Overseas Payment Officer)
EMAIL: barrmohamadmostafa@gmail.com
PHONE: Tel:+62-218-3333-151
Mobile : +62-856-7764-299
***************************************
Claims Requirements:
1...........Full Name:
2...........Home Address:
3...........Age:
4...........Sex:
5...........Tel:
6...........Occupation:
7...........Country Of Residence:
8...........Nationality:
REFERENCE NO: LSEAA/2031/8161/10
BATCH NO: R3/A312-59
Ticket/Lotto Number: LPH 09446
Serial Number: 009/552/007
Category: 2nd Category
***************************************
Congratulations once more from all members and staff of this program.
Sincerely,
MADAM ROSELYN JONES (PHD)
LOTTO CO-ORDINATOR.
Gavin Russo
Events Manager
_______________________________________________
This communication and any documents, files, or previous e-mail messages attached to it constitute an electronic communication within the scope of the Electronic Communication Privacy Act, 18 UKLN 2510. This communication may contain non-public, confidential, or legally privileged information intended for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). The unlawful interception, use or disclosure of such information is strictly prohibited under 18 UKLN 2511. Any review, reliance, or distribution by others or forwarding without expressed permission is strictly prohibited.