Lottery Scam Email:
Global Mega Lottery (Pty) London
"Mr. Adam Smith", "Mr. Simon Peterson"
Have you received an email from "Mr. Adam Smith" at "Global Mega Lottery (Pty) London" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Mr. Simon Peterson" 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 "Global Mega Lottery (Pty) London".
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:
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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!
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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.
Actual scam email (One example - the scammers constantly change names, dates and addresses!):
adam simth < adamsimth53@hotmail.com > wrote:
GLOBAL MEGA LOTTERY (PTY) LONDON.From: Mr. Adam Smith.
Global Mega Lottery (Pty) London.
Headquarters: No: 11 Vits Street Opp City Complex.
United Kingdom.
Customer Service: 580 NCA 85914
Ref: FLS-ZR39-825P-4.
Batch: 74-263-BBN.
WINNING NOTIFICATIONDear:Sir./Madam,
We happily announce to you the computer draw of the Global Mega Lottery (Pty) International programs held on the 4th Feb 2007 in United Kingdom. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 100-309-7482 with! Serial number 513-10 drew the winning: 2,9,22,23,24,30,+5, which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.simthadam31@hotmail.co.uk
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$1,950,000.00 (One Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file KPC/9080118308/02.This is from a total cash prize of US $13,650,000.00 Million dollars, shared amongst the Seven luckywinners in the second category world-wide. Please note that your lucky winning number falls within our Afro booklet representative office in Africa as indicated in your play coupon. In view of this, your US$1,950,000.00 (One Million Nine Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by First National Bank South Africa.
Our African agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him. All participants were selected randomly from World Wide Web site through computer draws system and extracted from over 10,000,00 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. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some unscrupulous elements. Please be warned. To file for your claim, please contact our corresponding agent in South Africa immediately you read this message for quick and urgent release of your fund, contact information is as follows: -
Please be informed that you must contact your claim agent in South Africa on or before 4th March 2007. To avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please quote your reference/batch numbers in any correspondences with our designated agents or us.
Congratulations once more from all members and staffs of this program that has successfully won this competition. Thank you for being part of our promotional lottery program.
Sincerely,
Mr. Adam Smith.
United Kingdom Zonal Co-coordinator.Sweepstakes International Program.
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Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery
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And please let us know about any suspicious calls or emails you receive. We look for patterns so that we can alert the authorities and victims to new scams, before it is too late!
For a comprehensive list of national and international agencies to report scams, see this page.