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 "ELLEN FERNANDEZ" at "EL-MUNDO SWEEPSTAKE LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Maria Sanchez" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. Lotteries don't give money away to people who don't buy tickets - not even as a "promotion". That's just dumb; it would not motivate anyone to BUY a ticket! And No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
Below is another example of a fake lottery; this email claims to be from the "EL-MUNDO SWEEPSTAKE LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM". Note the crazy name. Is it a lottery? A sweepstakes? A promotion? A "program"? No, it is a simple scam.
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery will ever email a winner, there are many other signs that this is a fraud. We have highlighted some of these in the email below, not the least of which are:
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 excessive and random CapItaLiZAtion. They often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to be "22nd". These scammers usually write at the 3rd grade level. Being non-native English speakers, they also often get first names and surnames (last names reversed), so you will frequently see names like "Mr. SMITH JAMES.", instead of "Mr. James Smith", along with the peculiar usage of periods (full stops) and spaces or the lack thereof. Real lotteries also proofread their emails and look and read more professional.
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! It should read: "For our own security, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until we have finished scamming you!"
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.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
Address of the Sender:
ELLEN FERNANDEZ .M. ( VICE PRESIDENT )
C/AURORA NO 56
28204 MADRID ESPANA
TEL/FAX : +34645696860
Date of the notification; April 30, 2007.
Prize to be claim at;
Agent Maria Sanchez
Foreign Operations Manager,
REAL EXCHANGE SECURITY SERVICES S.A.
TEL Contact: 0034617728498 Fax No: 0034965179135
RE: AWARD NOTIFICATION
Result of EL-MUNDO SWEEPSTAKE LOTERIA INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION PROGRAM HELD ON 18 APRIL 2007.
REF No: EMS/2551256003/05
BATCH NUMBER: 03/1362/ENA
Ticket Number: 025-11464992-750 serial number: 2113-05 drew the lucky numbers 13-15-22-37-39-45 won the lottery in the 3 rd category.
Prize amount E615,810.00(Six Hundred and Fifteen Thousand, Eight Hundred and Ten Euros)
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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