Summary: 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?
Related:
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Ask Leo! - If phishers had a clue...
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Ask Leo! - Why is there so much spam?
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Ask Leo! - Is this receipt for software I didn't order valid?
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Ask Leo! - Phishing? What's Phishing?
Article C3231 - December 8, 2007
Leo~
I just received a check, a real check, not a voucher, not a form that says this is not a check, or a check that obligates me to do something when I endorse it -- a real check for $2850 from a marketing company in Mass. that sent me a list of tasks to be done as a mystery shopper -- nothing that I've ever agreed to do.
The check, a real check, is written on Silicon Valley Bank, has the water marks, and has my name right after "pay to the order of". The letter says that if I don't call them they will stop payment on the check. In the meantime, I could cash the check at a check-cashing place. What the heck is going on and should I just go and cash this check? It was sent out of the blue from information "they ascertained" that qualified me to be part of this "select group". Any ideas?
On the above article, all of the signs you note are red flags. If you pop the email up to reveal full headers, it probably started in Nigeria, or,like many that I have received, University email addresses from accounts that were stolen, hacked into, or belonged to a retired professor.
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All I can say is that if it sounds to good to be true, it
probably is too good to be true. There's no way I would cash
that check.
A couple of possiblities come to mind:
- - - Cashing the check obligates you to something. I know
you've indicated that this isn't the case, but I'm pretty
skeptical that it's not.
- - - The check is bogus. It's trivial to make a check - or
rather something that looks like a check. What you may
find if you do deposit it, in 10 days or so the check will
bounce and the money will be removed from your account.
In the mean time this mystery shopping thing may well have
asked you to pay them, or someone they work with, out of
pocket for "expenses" of some sort. When the check bounces
not only will you be out that money, but the money you
spend on their behalf as well.
I could be wrong about the specific scenarios, but both are
common.
There's just no way I'd trust it. Even if it's legit, it's a
stupid way for them to do business just because of all the
caution and skepticism we continue to recommend.
Leo
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There is another scam similar to the many email versions, and is also really scary. A wedding planner got a call from a supposed couple in the UK asking her to plan their wedding. They sent her a "cashiers check" from Bank of America, however they wanted her to pay the band that was to play at the wedding. The wedding planner deposited the check and sent a money order to the band. The whole thing was bogus. The ability to create even cashier's checks is now a better way to rob people than robbing a bank. Of course, the check was no good, and the wedding planner was out more than $6500. When the check bounced, she was liable for all the money deposited. And since the "couple" lives in another country, it will be nearly impossible to track them down.
I have gotten the email scams from people wanting me to help feed children (how low can they go?) by taking in "donation checks" from other countries and keeping a percentage for my trouble, winning lotteries that I never entered, "government" officials from other countries wanting to give me a huge percentage of a dead person's estate since their are no beneficiaries, and recently, someone from the "United Nations" wanted my assistance, and also part time jobs taking payments for articles of some sort and sending them money orders less my "commission." The checks are no good, but won't bounce for 6 to 8 weeks, and they get your SSN, banking information, and other personal information.
Don't fall for any of it. They are all scams.
Posted by: Pam at June 29, 2008 4:53 PMi recived a check today for 3,900.45 i supposedly won a random sweepstakes.they asked that i put the check in my bank account for taxs and clearence fees for the 47,0000 i won. i didnt deposit it,for i dont believe it is ligit, do you?
13-Nov-2008
I recieved a email stating i won 10M,here is the kicker. The FBI? contacted me in the email an stated i need diplimatic papers to recieve the money and to contact the name at the end of the letter which is a FBI director. What do you think about it?
06-Feb-2009
Greeting Sir,
I have received an email as winning of 500,000usd from Australian lottery. So i want to know that whether it is true or false?They asked me for fees for taking affdavit of claim.Then i asked them for proof.So they sent me gurantee card of federal high court of Nigeria.
i am sending its details.
AUSTRALIAN ONLINE LOTTO PROMOTION.
OFFICE OF THE CLAIMS AGENT
55 Forces Avenue GRA.
Our Ref: Australian Lottery Promo 2009,
Fiduciary Agent's Name: Dr. Frank Gilbert.
Kind attention my dear,
This is to let you know that I got your mail and regarding to your mail the union bank has asked you to get an affidavit of claim before there can be able to transfer your winning prize to you.
To respond to you about the (affidavit of claim) I have been to the federal high court of Nigeria after reading your mail to inquire how this document can be procured on your behalf and the chief justice said that your presence will be needed at the federal high court for the signing of the document and that it will cost you $890usd for the getting of the document but alternatively if you can’t come to Nigeria then you will have to hire a lawyer who will stand and sign the document on your behalf and also you will have to send down the said amount of $890usd to them for them to get this document ready for you.
Mean while I also confronted them with the letter which you sent to me concerning the way there cheated you and there told me that many people are using there office to cheat people and that there are tracing the culprits that are using there office to cheat other people. And for those reasons there apologize for what ever that may have happened to you and say that there are deeply sorry. Because of that there have given me a guarantee letter to give to you so that you will be sure that you are dealing with the right office and not those that cheated you before. The attachment below is the copy of the guarantee letter which they gave me to send to you.
So I will advice you to go true it and follow the instructions which there have asked you to follow in order for you to get the affidavit of claim procured on your behalf so that you will submit it to the bank for them to transfer your winning prize to you. Because I think it will cost you more money if you decide coming to Nigeria.
Warmest regards,
Dr. Frank Gilbert
(Regional Claims Agent)
Australian Lotto Programme.
Tell: +234-7039327604.
FEDERAL_HIGH_COURT_GUARANTEE_LETTER_FOR_THE_BENEFICIARY..JPG
................................................................
............................................................
Greetings Sir.
My Details as below:
OUR WINNING INFORMATION.
1]BATCH NUMBER.....7050470902/189
2]REFERENCE NUMBER.435062725
3]WINNING NUMBER.........GB8101/LPRC
4]TICKET NUMBER.............4700172507056490102
To quote: "... it's fraud. Run away. Delete it. Ignore it. Don't ever be tempted."
Don't fall for it.
08-May-2009
I was surprised at some of the comments as it's not only obvious but Leo just told you guy that these are all scams. But if you want a really good investment I got a tool bridge I can sell you a stake in ;=)>
Posted by: Mark Jacobs at June 11, 2009 5:45 AMalso if you include Nigeria in your spam filters you'll stop a lot of scams from getting into your inbox. Unless of course you do know some people in Nigeria. ANd incidentally a family just died in a plane crash and it has been discovered that YOU are the only surviving next of kin. Please write me for more informations ,=)>
Posted by: Mark Jacobs at June 11, 2009 5:48 AM