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 "Mrs. Sean Maria Dunn" at "United States of America International Lottery Program" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Fiduciary Claims Agent, Barr. Paul Smith" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. There is absolutely NO such things as the "United States Lottery", the "U.S. Lottery", "United States Lottery Program" or anything else remotely like that!
And beyond that, no legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote), anyway! The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
Below is the example of the fake email scam (the email is the scam, not any persons or companies named in the email) claiming to be from the "United States of America International Lottery Program".
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.
"No tickets were sold": You care to explain where the money comes from? Perhaps the lottery money fairy? Why would a lottery give away money to "email address randomly selected by a computer ballot draw system"? This is CLEARLY nonsense: you MUST, repeat MUST buy a ticket to have a chance of winning any lottery!
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. Names are usually in all capital letters for some reason known only to these illiterate criminals. 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 it's own email, it's 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.
From: "United States Lottery Scheme" at dannypa@bigpond.com
Subject: "Congratulation From The United States of America: Your Email Have Won"
Date:25th March 2009
Ref. No: 575061725
Batch No: 8056490902/188
Serial No: 6741137002
Winning No: KB8701/LPRC
CONGRATULATION!!!
We are delighted to inform you of your winning on 24th March 2009 from the United States of America International Lottery Program, which is partially based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses.
Your e-mail address was attached to ticket number; 575061725 8056490902 serial number 6741137002 .This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows: 4-13-33-37-42 bonus number 17, which consequently won the lottery in the second category.
All participants were selected through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and Africa as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually.
This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by president Barack Obama as his part of social responsibility and his special way to appreciate the world citizens as the new inaugurated African-American president and base on this your emails address was lucky to be selected and you are entitled with a huge lump of $500,000.00.
HOW TO FILE YOUR CLAIM: Simply contact our Fiduciary Claims Agent, with below information; The claims processor is:
Name:Barr. Paul Smith
E-mail: barr.paul@administrativos.com
Telephone: +447024012264
Do email the above email address, immediately with all the claims requirements below In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications.
Claims Requirements:
1. FULL NAMES:
2. NATIONALITY:
3. DATE OF BIRTH:
4. SEX:
5. MARITAL STATUS:
6. CONTACT ADDRESS:
7. TELEPHONE NUMBER:
8. OCCUPATION:
9. COUNTRY:
security reasons, we advice the winner to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and been released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this program by non-participant or unofficial personnel.
ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION.
Best Regards.
Mrs. Sean Maria Dunn
(For the coordinator)
Copyright © 1968-2009 United States lottery Inc All rights.
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* Re: emails of winnings. We know of only ONE exception in the world to this rule - and if you bought a ticket from them, you would know it, and would used their safegaurds.