Scams: BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY - Woolmich Bank, Mr. Mike Johnson, MICHEAL SMITH

UK National Lottery Scams:
Example: BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY - Woolmich Bank
"Mr. Mike Johnson", "MICHEAL SMITH"

Have you received an email from "Mr. Mike Johnson"  at the "BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY - Woolmich Bank" telling you that you won the a prize and to contact "MICHEAL SMITH"?  They can't even spell "Michael" or "fiduciary" correctly! 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. Nor would you ever have to open a bank account at a specific bank, just to receive your winnings. 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:

• Master list of sample lottery scam emails

• How to recognize a lottery scam

• What to do if you think you have been the victim of a lottery scam

• How the lottery / sweepstakes scams work

Also

In the UK, call the hotline at 020 7211 8111 to check or report lottery scams.

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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. 

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Actual scam email (One example - the scammers constantly change names, dates and addresses!):

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL LOTTERY

CUSTOMER SERVICE

We acknowledge the receipt of winning informations. A hard copy of your Payment Approval and Winning certificate has been sent to our paying bank for release of your winnings to you.

On behalf of the entire staff and management of U.K NATIONAL LOTTERY PROMOTION, we wish you congratulations for being one of our lucky winners in the last email draw held.

We have forwarded all the required information's to the payment center for immediate release of your prize money.

Your transfer is going to be an online transfer from our Paying Bank to your own designated bank account.

This is as a result of the policy of the European Gaming Board that all winners must open an Online Account with our Payment Center (WOOLMICH BANK) in UK.

So you are therefore advised to open up an online account with our payment center before your funds can be transferred to any of your nominated bank account.

Note that funds lodged in suspense account are NON-DEDUCTIBLE until it has been transferred to your operative account.

Once your account is opened you will have an account number and a pin code, and instructions will be given to you on how to make transfers to your designated bank account.

The contact information is stated below:

WOOLMICH BANK LTD.
19 SPRINGFIELD RD. MAYFAIR, LONDON W1K 7TA ENGLAND
TEL: +44-703-590-2131
EMAIL: accounts@woolmich-bank.co.uk.tt
CONTACT PERSON: MICHEAL SMITH

I advise you contact the payment center and they will instruct you on what to do.

Thanks for your understanding and endeavor to keep us updated for further instructions.

Best Regards,

Mr. Mike Johnson

Fudiciary officer

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Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery 

Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies

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