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 STEPHANIE NKOSI" at "PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA" saying you won their promotion or lottery promo and to contact "DR NELSON SMITH" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. And don't get too excited if the names are different; the scammers make many versions of this scam!
It is actually a very simple scam. They claim you won a promotion, which is giving away millions of dollars based on a randomly selected email address. The scam is obvious: it's simply preposterous to think that any company would randomly give away money to encourage you to buy their product. That would be self-defeating.
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery, and almost no legitimate sweepstakes or promotions will 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.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization would use its own email, its own domain and website? Wouldn't they want to promote that?
Keep Confidential - Real promotions THRIVE on publicity: that's the purpose of them! They don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to buy their product. 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!"
What are they promoting? No one promotes "world peace" or "use of the internet" by handing out millions to random strangers. And if they are promoting a product or a lottery, then this must be the world's worst promotion, because no one has heard of it, outside of the email you just received. Just giving away money to random people who have an email address wouldn't promote a darn thing! It is a scam!
Pay a fee to collect the prize: Nope, it is illegal for free sweepstakes and promotions to charge you ANYTHING! Of course, in a scam, that is the whole point: to get you to send money to the scammer.
It is a typical scam promotion sweepstakes winning notification. Also see these pages:
From: " lottoboard06@katamail.com "
Subject: FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION
Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:20:27 +0000FROM THE DESK OF THE PROMOTIONS LOTTERY MANAGER,
PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA,
13,LAKE VIEW DRIVE, AUCKLAND PARK
P.O.BOX 296, AUCKLAND PARK,
JOHANNESBURG,
SOUTH AFRICA.Your kind Attention:
FINAL NOTICE OF AWARD NOTIFICATION
We are pleased to inform you of the announcement today the 23RD MARCH 2007,of winners of the PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY, held on 28th FEBUARY 2007 as part of our promotional draws. Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, Middle East,and New Zealand as part of our electronic business Promotions lottery Program. You qualified for the draw as a result of you visiting Various websites we are running the e-business promotions lottery for.
You/Your Company, attached to ticket number 139-3201-6409,with serial number 570-10 drew the lucky numbers 1,8,14,20,31,46,72,and consequently won in the Second Category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$3,000,000.00 in cash, which is the winning payout for Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of S$21,000,000.00 shared among the Seven international winners in the Second category.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Your fund is now deposited with the Maco Finance and Security Company insured in your name. Due to the mix up of some numbers and names, we award strictly from public notice until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to your account.
This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming or unscrupulous acts by participants of this program. We hope with a part of your prize, you will participate in our up coming mid year (2007) high stakes US$1.3 billion International Lottery. To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent immediately:
DR NELSON SMITH
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER,
TEL: +27-78-232-6795
EMAIL: nelsonsmith2005@yahoo.comKindly contact your claims officer and provide him with the following informations,
1. The Refrence Number.-------------------------------------------
2. The Batch Number.-----------------------------------------------
3. The Ticket Number.----------------------------------------------
4. The serial Number.------------------------------------------------
5. The lucky Number.-----------------------------------------------
FULL NAMES:________________________MAILING
ADDRESS:__________________________________SEX:_____________________
AGE/DATE OF BIRTH________________MARITAL STATUS:___________________
OCCUPATION:______________________TEL/FAX UMBER:_____________________
AMOUNT WON:__________________STATE/COUNTRY:_____________________COMPANY
NAME:________________________
If you do not contact your claims agent within 14 working days of this notification, your winning prize money would be revoked.
NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers. Winners are advised to keep their winning details/ information from the public to avoid fraudulent claims. (IMPORTANT) pending the transfer/claim
REFERENCE NUMBER: KFQ-XV69-013b-9
BATCH NUMBER: 57-488-BBNCongratulations once again from all our staff and thank you promotions program.
Sincerely,
MRS STEPHANIE NKOSI.
Lottery Co-ordinator
PROTEA WINNERS ORGANIZATION LOTTERY SOUTH AFRICA
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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