Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Lotto manager" at the "YOU HAVE WON THE BRITISH LOTTERY 2008" telling you that you won the a prize and to contact "MR. STEVE OWEN" in South Africa? Well, that makes sense that the "British Lottery", which you've never heard of, would have you contact a man in South Africa at a free Yahoo email account. If that DOES make sense to you, you are very gullible. It is a scam.
There are only two legal large lotteries in Britain, the National Lottery and the Monday Lottery, anyway, and they do NOT use email to notify winners. Below is a scam email actually received.
DO NOT reply to any emails you receive that claim you have won a lottery that you did not enter. They are frauds. You will lose your money. There is no "free lunch"; don't be foolish and believe a scam! We can not say it any more plainly: YOU WILL NOT BE NOTIFIED BY EMAIL BY ANY LEGITIMATE LOTTERY THAT YOU WON A PRIZE. If you do receive such an email, it IS a fraud, do not reply to it! If you DID reply to one, see this page to find out what happens next!
Other resources:
Also
In the UK, call the hotline at 020 7211 8111 to check or report lottery scams.
There are many other signs that this is a fraud that we have highlighted in the email below, typically including one or more of these:
Email address ballot: There is no such thing as a "computer ballot system" or "computer email draw". No one, not even Microsoft has a database of email addresses of the type or magnitude they suggest.
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar - Scammers apparently don't know how to use spell checkers. We assume they dropped out of school before that class. They use almost random CapItaLiZAtion and often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to be "22nd". Real lotteries proofread their emails and use people who can write above the 3rd grade level.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization would use its own email, its own domain and website?
Keep Confidential - Real lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to buy more tickets. there is NO risk of "double claiming" because they can validate where the ticket numbers were sold. The scammer want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them!
Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO NOTIFY WINNERS. Period. Full-stop. End of story. There mere fact ALONE that you received an email saying you won a lottery is proof that it is a scam.
Courier / delivery charges are high due to Hardcover insurance Policy - If you respond to them, you will usually receive an email telling you you must pay delivery charges. First, as we mentioned earlier, no winner would ever have to pay delivery charges in a real lottery, sweepstakes or promotion. Secondly, there is no such thing as "hardcover insurance policies" . Go search in Google and see if you can find a definition for it!
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
"u_k_british lottery" <u_k_b_l95@hotmail.co.uk> Add to Address Book Add Mobile Alert
Subject: URGENT NOTIFICATION / CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!
Date: Sat, 12 Jan 2008 08:33:38 +0000
YOU HAVE WON THE BRITISH LOTTERY 2008
BRITISH LOTTERY HEADQUARTERS,
CUSTOMERS SERVICES,
33 YATCH BASIN MARINA OFFICE,
UPON TYNE NEW CASTLE LONDON.Batch: 14/211/0374: Ref: BTL/311OXI/02.
CONGRATULATIONS: YOU HAVE WON!!!!
We happily announce to you the draw of the British lottery program held in London, Your e-mail address attached, to ticket number: 694/7560/0545/721 with Serial number: 886/04 drew the lucky numbers: 016/213/3517, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category, you are therefore, been approved to claim a total sum of 1,000.000.00 (One Million Pounds Only) in cash credited to file RPC/9080/1153/2244 This is from a total cash prize of 125 million pounds starlings.
This year Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for British Lottery; the estimated 125 million jackpots would be the sixth biggest in U.K. history, The biggest was the 363 million pounds starlings jackpot that went to two winners in December 2005 drawing of The Big Game, Mega Millions' predecessor. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our African booklet representative office in South Africa as indicated in our play coupon, In view of this, your 1,000.000.00 (One Million Pounds Only) would be released to you by our affiliate bank in South Africa.
Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claim your fund, is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you demand fit to claim your prize.
This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program. Please be warned.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CLAIM AGENT IN SOUTH AFRICA IMMEDIATELY THROUGH EMAIL OR YOU CALL HIM.
MR. STEVE OWEN
Phone Number: + 27 83 559 8013
Contact Email: ssteveowenukagent@yahoo.com
Endeavor to email him with your full names, winning numbers, email address, telephone and fax numbers immediately.
Congratulations; from me and members of staff of THE UK NATIONAL LOTTERY.
Yours faithfully
Lotto manager
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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