Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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"The Free Lotto Company" just sent you an email, saying you won hundreds of thousands of "Great British Pounds"? We have one bit of advice: don't quick your job just yet. It is a scam. Interestingly, the email claims they are "the world's most famous free lotto service".. yet you, and no one you know has ever heard of them... sure... And, they're "proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers, Mackintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies.... to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide."
After reading that, if you still believe it is real, then we must suggest that you are an utter moron. Perhaps your friends and family don't say it to your face, but to believe this pile of nonsense, you must be.
There's no such thing as a FREE lotto or lottery. Think about it! Where would their money to give away come from and why? Microsoft? "to promote use of the internet"? Oh, sure, Bill Gates and Michael Dell probably lie awake at night worrying how to get people to use the internet. There are many other signs that this is a fraud, not the least of which is that no legitimate lottery uses email to notify its winners!
And a legitimate lottery certainly would not use free hotmail, yahoo, elitist, or aim email accounts. Especially a free account from Hong Kong for a lottery that is supposed to be based in England.
In addition to the usual clues, notice the gibberish writing, excessive/incorrect use of CAPITAL letters, lack of decent punctuation.. The sentences don't even make sense. Hardly what a professional (i.e., real) lottery would do. Note the other clues to an obvious fraud that we have highlighted in the letter; keep confidential, selected by a random computer lottery of email addresses, use of free email accounts, etc.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
Also see this page for a sample in the UK.
THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2007 22:48:26 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SPAM] WINNING NOTIFICATION
From: "THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY" < flc_financier@yahoo.com.hk >
THE FREE LOTTO COMPANY
28 Tanfied Road
Croydon.London
United Kingdom
(Customer Service)
Ref No: uk/090/332/FL
Batch No: QWN/87648-34/FL
WINNING NOTIFICATION we happily announce to you the draw of the Free Lotto International programs held on the 5th of February, 2007.
Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 740 8001310 110 with Serial number 8191/11 drew the lucky numbers: 61-9-16-64-86-2, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of £1,000,000.00(One million Great British pound sterling) in cash credited.
This is from a total cash prize of £520,000,000 (Five hundred and Two million pounds sterling) shared amongst the lucky winners in this grand category.
This year Lottery Program Jackpot is the largest ever for Free Lottery.
The estimated £237 million jackpot would be the sixth-biggest in free lotto history. The biggest was the £363 million jackpot that went to two winners in a May 2000 drawing of The Big Game Mega Millions' predecessor.
Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our United Kingdom booklet representative office in London as indicated in our play coupon.
In view of this, your £1,000,000.00(One million Great British pound sterling) would be released to you physically by our affiliate Bank.
Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds to you as soon as you make contact with him.
All participants were selected randomly from 'World Wide Web' site through computer draw system and extracted from over 100,000 companies.
This promotion takes place annually.
For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize.
To file for your claim please contact our fiduciary agent with the below details for processing of your claims.
Mr.Anthony Jones
Tell: 0044 701 112 1121
Email: web.faflc@yahoo.com.hk
Note that all claims process and clearance procedures must be duly completed early to avoid impersonation arising to the issue of double claim.
To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with us or our designated agent.
All winning must be claimed not later than 14 working days from this notification, after this time all unclaimed funds will be return to European Union Treasury as unclaimed.
Be advice to keep your winning information confidential until your claims has been processed and your money remitted to you.
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs. Mary Colton
(Lottery Coordinator)
_______________________________________________________________________
The Free Lotto Awards is proudly sponsored by the Microsoft Corporation, the Intel Group, Toshiba, Dell Computers, Mackintosh and a conglomeration of other international IT companies. The free lotto internet draw is held quarterly every year and is so organized to encourage the use of the internet and computers worldwide. We are proud to say that over £200 Million Pounds are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide. Millions are won on a daily basis on one of the world's most famous free lotto service.
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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