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 "Robert Dilts" at "Pegasus Couriers Services Ltd" telling you that "you are required to effect the associated delivery charges associated with your opted choice on the mode of delivery, before the delivery process of your winning claims parcel to your designated address" or something similar, and to contact "Pegasus" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. No legitimate, legal lottery requires winners to pay any fees! Also note that 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 "Pegasus Couriers Services Ltd".
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 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.
Unit 63, Evens Business Center, Belgrave Street,
Bellshill Ind Est Bellshill, ML4 3NP
Tel:+(44)-701-421-9186
Dear: John,
E-Mail:jkDoe2b2g@yahoo.com
March 2nd,2007
Dear Winner
PAYMENT GUIDELINES
Welcome to the Pegasus Courier Services.We are pleased to be at your service. We recieved your duely accomplished Lottery Payment Release Order form from our affiliate Lottery Organisatioin ,the UK LOTTERY PROGRAMME, and we have been informed to deliver the parcel containing your prize Funds certified cheque of $1,000,000.00(One Million Dollars Only} and other highly sensitive document to your designated mailing address.
With this, a package has been prepared for dispatch containing your Winning cheque(bonded certified cheque), original copy of your winning certificate, together with a covering document (Money Laundering protection and Letter of Affidavit for Claims) from the BRITISH LOTTERY AFFIARS COMMISSION stating that the money was obtained legally through their Online Sweepstake Lottery promotion.
With regards to this delivery, here are the details of your prepared parcel awaiting dispatch;
RECIPIENTS: John K. Doe
REFERENCE NUMBER: ULP/2551256003/23
PACKAGE COLOUR: Brown
RECIPIENTS ADDRESS:P.O. Box 1013 108Hwy 76 east Clayton..GA 30525
To begin the final step of the claims process, which is the shippment of your parcel to you, there are three courier options open to you, you are required to select the most convenient of the three which you deem best for us to make the delivery.
The various courier options, together with their associated conditions and delivery charges presented below, you are been required to pay for the neccesary courier delivery charges to enable us courier your winning claims parcel to you via any of this channel listed below:
NOTE:YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COURIER DELIVERY CHARGES BEFORE PARCEL CAN BE DELIVERED.
CHOOSE A MODE OF DELIVERY:.........................
BRONZE DELIVERY
Duration Of delivery: 6 days
An original certificate of weight.....0.9Gramms
Total weight of parcel................0.9Gramms
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Flight;...............................£300.00
Insurance.............................£200.00
Vat (5%)..............................£76.00
TOTAL.................................£576.00(Five Hundred and seventy six Pounds)
SILVER DELIVERY
Duration Of delivery: 4 days
An original certificate of weight.....0.9Gramms
Total weight of parcel................0.9Gramms
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Flight; ..............................£300.00
Insurance.............................£300.00
Vat (5%)..............................£100.00
TOTAL.................................£700.00(Seven Hundred Pounds)
GOLD DELIVERY
Duration Of delivery: 2 days
An original certificate of weight.....0.9Gramms
Total weight of parcel................0.9Gramms
Colour of parcel......................Brown
Flight; ..............................£480.00
Insurance.............................£650.00
Vat(5%)...............................£200.00
TOTAL.................................£1,330.00(One Thousand Three Hundred And Thirty Pounds)
Furthermore, be informed that in compliance with the policies governing the delivering of your winning claims parcels, you are required to effect the associated delivery charges associated with your opted choice on the mode of delivery, before the delivery process of your winning claims parcel to your designated address.
Your funds has been insured to its real value, thus no deductions of any kind can be made on your stated prize funds.
This payment is to cover for Courier/Diplomatic Service charge, VAT, administrative charges and Insurance.
Note: The charge is high as a result of the hardcover insurance we have undertaken in case of loss, damage, or theft of your highly sensitive documents.
After payment you will be required to send by e-mail the receipt of payment.As soon as we receive confirmation of payment , your parcel will be dispatched immediately. The date, time of departure and expected date of delivery will be sent to you.
Acknowledge receipt of this mail informing us of your opted choice of delivery, so as to finalize the modalities involved in the delivery and thus send you your Tracking Code {TRC} and information regarding the delivery to your designated address in due time.
Most importantly attached herewith is your winning certificate and remember, you have very limited time to claim your winnings.
Yours faithfully,
Robert Dilts
Pegasus Couriers Services Ltd
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES CALL :+44-701-421-9186
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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