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 "Becky Owen" at "EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "David Nelson" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam! Apparently, scammers like to use the names "Becky Owen" and "David Nelson" - see this page for another variation and this page for yet another.
Below is another example of a fake lottery; this email claims to be from the "EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT".
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.
EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT
10 Plough Place,
London EC4A 1DE
UNITED KINGDOM
(Customer Services)
Dear Winner,
We wish to congratulate you and formally inform you that, you have won the sum of £1,500,000.00GBP (OneCFR Million, Five Hundred Thousand Great British Pounds) in our last email-lottery draws. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 7-1-8-36-4-22 under agent ID: 18 and lucky ball number 7363789, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
For the remmittance of your Funds Furnish us with the details stated below:
a) YOUR NAME:
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b) YOUR ADDRESS:
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c) YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER:
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d) YOUR DATE OF BIRTH:
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e) YOUR MARITAL STATUS:
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f) YOUR OCCUPATION:
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g) YOUR COUNTRY:
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h) YOUR WINNING TICKET NUMBER:
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Following the above, you are expected to furnish us with all your necessary details as requested of you above along with a copy of your international passport or driver's license vian email attachment for vetting process which is a standard practise just to ensure that we are dealing with the right individual.To begin your lottery claim, please contact our Fudiciary agent below that has been appointed for the processing of your claim with the email address below:
Mr David Nelson
Fudiciary Agent,
EMAIL: claimsagent_info001@yahoo.com.hk
Once again accept our congratulations, contact our fudiciary agent if you would want to claim your money and if not please write us a DISCLAIMERS LETTER so that it can be put on record that you did not claim your money we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Regards,
Mrs Becky Owen,
Online Lottery,
CO-Ordinator.
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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