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 "MR. WALTER MORGAN" at "HOT LOTTO" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Mr Matthew Chuck" 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!
Below is another example of a fake lottery; this email claims to be from the "HOT LOTTO".
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 sweepstakes and lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to enter or buy more of their products. The scammer want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them!
Here is a typical scam sweepstakes winning notification.
HOT LOTTO.
Sir/Madam,
http://www.lotteryusa.com/lottery/HL/HLhotlotto_f10.html
CONGRATULATIONS:
YOU WON -$2.27 Million We are pleased to inform you of the result of "Hot Ball: 14", which was held on Sat Feb 17 '2007. Your e-mail address attached to e-ticket number: 9, 10, 13,18, 29, with Prize Ref Number: PW 9590 ES 9414 drew a prize of (TWO MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS). This lucky draw came first in the 2nd Category of the Sweepstakes. This sweepstake was conducted under the watchful eyes of 8,000 spectators. Your e-mail address attached to e-ticket number 9, 10, 13, 18, 29, was selected and; it came out first by an e-ballot draw from over 250,000 e-mail addresses (personal and corporate e-mail addresses).In order to avoid unnecessary delays with your claim, You are requested to contact your claims clearance officer Mr Matthew Chuck, to assist you with the processing of your winnings and subsequent payments.
MR. Matthew Chuck
EMAIL: hotlotto02@yahoo.com.hk
NAME:
ADDRESS:
EMAIL:
COUNTRY:
PHONE NUMBER:
AGE:
OCCUPATION:
Congratulations.
Yours Faithfully,
MR. WALTER MORGAN.
Coordinator:
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.