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 "Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Martins" at "Yahoo Awards Center" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Mr. George Miller or Stella Beamer (admin)" 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! First, Yahoo does not have a lottery nor an "Awards Center". Second they won't notify you by email. Third, you wouldn't have to pay any "fees" to receive your winnings. Finally, we doubt whether they would write to winners from competitors email (gmail, hotmail, etc.)!
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 "Yahoo Awards Center".
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. 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: yaho_ awarrd157 < yaho_awarrd157@hotmail.co.uk >
Sent: Thursday, December 27, 2007 6:59:44 AM
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS YAHOO AWARD WINNER.
Yahoo Awards Center
124 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester M60 2DB - United Kingdom
This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of Eight Hundred,Twenty Thousand Great Britain Pounds (£820,000,00.) for the month of December, 2007 Prize promotion which is organized by YAHOO AWARDS & WINDOWS LIVE.
YAHOO collects all the email addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail and few from other e-mail providers. Six people are selected monthly to benefit from this promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners.
PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM.
Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Centre. Yahoo Prize Award must be claimed no later than 28th January 2008, from date of Draw Notification. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited.
Stated below are your identification numbers:
BATCH NUMBER: MFI/06/APA-43658
REFERENCE NUMBER: 2006234522
PIN: 1206
Winning Number:
These numbers fall within the England Location file, you are requested to contact our fiduciary agent in Manchester and send your winning identification numbers to him;
Agent Name: Mr. George Miller.
EMail: georgemilleragency444@gmail.com
Tel: +44 703 184 6239.
+44 703 184 6146.
You are advised to send the following information to your Claims Agent to facilitate the release of of your fund to you.
1. Full name...............................
2. Country..................................
3. Contact Address.....................
4. Telephone Number.................
5. fax Number............................
5. Marital Status.........................
6. Occupation.............................
7. My Date of birth......................
8. Sex.................................
9.Batch Number.................................
10.Reference Number.................................
11.Pin Number................................
12. Winning Number................................
13.Amount Won................................
Congratulations!! once again.
Yours in service,
Dr. (Mrs.) Mercy Martins
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WARNING!
Do not tell people about your Prize Award until your money is successfully handed over to you to avoid disqualification that may arise from double claim.
You may also receive similar e-mails from people potraying to be other Organizations or Yahoo Inc. This is solely to collect your personal information from you and lay claim over your winning. In event that you receive any e-mail similar to the notification letter that was sent to you, Kindly delete it from your mail box and give no further correspondence to such person or body.
Yahoo shall not be held responsible for any loss of fund arising from the above mentioned.
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Messenger on the move. Text MSN to 63463 now!
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: george milleragency444 < georgemilleragency444@gmail.com >
Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2007 11:23:27 AM
Subject: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER WITH CLAIMING INSTRUCTIONS.
YAHOO AWARD CENTER.
Consumer Affairs Section.
124 Stockport, Long sight Manchester.
M60 2DB United Kingdom.
From The office of: The Claim Agent
Processing Manager: Mr. George Miller
Attn,John Doe
We are happy to inform you that we have received your complete details and information, which has also been forwarded to the bank in London United Kingdom.
For the processing of the fund approval and subsequent transfer to you're yet to be nominated bank account.
Meanwhile I have been instructed to inform you that you can either collect your prize in person that is you can come to UK (London) and visit our Issuing Bank or it can be sent to your Bank Account through key telegraphic transfer (KTT) which will reach your account within 72 hrs from the date of transfer but for this you Will need a clearance from the British Ministry of Finance (EXCHANGE CONTROL DEPT.) as you will be receiving your fees in a foreign currency, and AFFIDAVIT which will show that you don't have any bad record whatsoever in Britain or in your country this can be obtained by swearing an affidavit on your name at the high court here which will be used to obtain the Clearance certificate and your Lottery winning certificate which is needed and the only documents needed for your transfer to be effected.
Since you have been allocated to me to assist you, it is my duty to make sure that you receive this claim because if you don't redeem it before the stipulated date of redemption it will be declared null and void and this money will be sent to charity. So if you have to come in person you have to prepare and make sure you are here in UK (London) before the stipulated redemption date, but if you want an Attorney to swear the affidavit on your name to get the clearance you will have to pay for the fees to swear the affidavit which will be used to obtain the clearance needed to facilitate the transfer of your claim, this is what I did for other prize winners who was not able to come down to UK (London)
Your urgent response is needed.
Congratulations!
Thanks and best regards,
Mrs. Stella Beamer (Admin Secretary)
For Mr. George Miller.
Tel No: +44 703 186 2126
----- Forwarded Message ----
From: george milleragency444 < georgemilleragency444@gmail.com >
Sent: Monday, December 31, 2007 12:05:15 AM
Subject: ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTER WITH CLAIMING INSTRUCTIONS.
Dear John Doe
As it is impossible for you to be in London to collect your prize in person, you have to get an Attorney here in London that will help you obtain the Clearance of Affidavit Certificate from the high court London. Since your fund is insured under insurance policy, which means no one, has the right to deduct any Cent from your fund until it is finally transferred to you.
The Clearance Of Affidavit Certificate will make your transfer to be effective through Key Telegraphic Transfer (KTT). Meanwhile you are advised to pay the attorney fee so that he can obtain the affidavit for you. An affidavit will obtain here in London not in your country.
A copy of the affidavit will send to you by the Attorney and a copy to our paying for the conclusion of your of transfer. I am sorry we don't allow relations of friend to pick up prize because of double claim, if you want the prize in US$ is possible but the amount you receive is 1.8million dollars.
The fee is £793.00 remembers you have to follow my instruction as your agent. Meanwhile you have 72hrs to receive your fund if you pay the fee. Send the control number to me.
You can only send the fee through Western Union Money Transfer. and the receiver of the fee is our Accountant Mr. Grant.
PAYMENT INFORMATION.
Name Mr. James Grant.
Address 124 Stock Port Road, Long sight Manchester.
M60 2DB United Kingdom.
Amount, 793.00GBP=US$1,584.00
Thanks and best regards,
Mrs. Stella Beamer (Admin Secretary)
For Mr. George Miller.
Tel No: +44 703 186 2126
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
* 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 not be questioning it.