Example of scams

Sweepstakes and Prize Scams - How to Protect Yourself

Directory of Sample Sweepstakes
 Scam Emails

This page identifies and provides links to many actual examples of sweepstake scam emails. real sweepstakes are done to promote a product or service, and cost the company, so the prizes are usually not huge.

Remember, just because you don't see an exact copy of the email you receive in the samples list below or it isn't in this list of scam lottery and sweepstakes names does not make it legitimate.  The scammers constantly change the names and the content of the letters.  However, if the letter you received is similar to one below, you will know it IS a scam!

Here are some of the more common clues that you will see in scams:

  • The return email addresses are free Yahoo, Excite or Hotmail email accounts - Real sweepstakes have their own domains and websites (However, scammers sometimes make fake websites, so having a website does NOT make it legitimate!)
  • The recipient "won" without entering a sweepstakes. No real sweepstakes uses "random computer email draws" or anything like that.
  • "For security reasons" you're not allowed to talk to anyone about it (especially the police or consumerfraudreporting.org!) - which ought to be odd since sweepstakes exist to create publicity!
  • NO company, not Microsoft, Dell or any other conducts ANY sweepstakes to "promote use of the internet" or computers, or promote "general good will and peace".  Sweepstakes promote a specific product or specific service that is tied to the company that sponsors and operates the sweepstakes.
  • The emails contain poor grammar, punctuation and loads of misspellings. Real sweepstakes staff know how to use a spellchecker and write at a college level.

Directory of Sample Sweepstakes Scams - Sample Emails and Explanations

  1. Letters in the mail with a check: Unclaimed Sweeps Advisory
  2. British Internatonal E-Lottery Promotion Sweepstakes
  3. British Sweepstake Lottery Program - "Miss Gilmore Gluck", "Dr. Garrison Lutuka"
  4. EURO MILLION LOTERIAS on-line Sweepstakes
  5. Euro Million Loteria Award
  6. Euromillions WINNING EMAIL SWEEPSTAKE AWARD
  7. EUROPEAN SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTION version 1
  8. EUROPEAN SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTION, Mr Wim van den Assem, Mr Harry Henderson
  9. EUROPEAN SWEEPSTAKES PROMOTION - "Dr.Wolfgang G. Crusen", "Mr.Harry Henderson"
  10. EURO LOTTO STAKES ESPANOL S.L, A DIVISION OF THE ELGORDO MAS GORDO INTERNATIONAL LOTTOERY PROMOTIONAL PROGRAMME, "Snr Antonio Rodriguez"
  11. Euro Million Lottery Sweepstakes - Experimental Bonanza
     "David Jose", "Mrs.Eva Pedro"
  12. EuroMillion Balloting Sweepstakes - "Mrs. Emily Simon, Mr. Cliff Branssen, Madrid, Spain"
  13. The Free Lotto Sweepstakes - "DAVID JOSE", "DAVID LINGTOWN"
  14. Grand Bonanza International Program
  15. HONDA AWARD COMPANY - Luck Dip Sweepstakes - "Mr. Robert Johnston", "Mrs. Linda Markwood or Barrister Williams Morgan"
  16. HOT LOTTO - "MR. WALTER MORGAN", "Mr Matthew Chuck"
  17. KRASLOTEN LOTTOI NTERNATIONAL / Heineken - Susan Henk, MR.JAS VAN ROODE
  18. KRASLOTEN LOTTOI NTERNATIONAL - version 2
  19. Microsoft Anniversary Draws (2010)
  20. Microsoft Awards Center, End of year "Microsoft Splash Awards", etc.
  21. Microsoft Award Team Sweepstakes - Microsoft and AOL
  22. Microsoft Award Team Sweepstakes - version 2 - "Microsoft and AOL" from Dr.�Rose A. Allen, Mr George Simmons or other names
  23. MICROSOFT GLOBAL E-MAIL LOTTERY - INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT - "Mark Van Dijk", "David Brown" or "David Brawn"
  24. MICROSOFT GLOBAL E-MAIL LOTTERY - INTERNATIONAL PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT - "Dr.Sharles Stan", "MR.REUBEN KHUMALO"
  25. Microsoft Corporations,"Ricky Williams", "Steve Creek"
  26. MICROSOFT AWARD TEAM MICROSOFT (and AOL), "Miss.Rose DE-Lauren", "Dr.BRIGHT TAHIRA"
  27. MICROSOFT MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO - Dr. Fogan Sossah, Mrs. Julie Cruz
  28. POWER BALL LOTTERY E-WHEEL E-GAME
  29. Publishers Clearing House International Promotions, "Horin Elizabeth", "Mr. Harry Johnson"
  30. Publishing Clearing House or Publisher's Clearinghouse
  31. SPONSOR LOTERIJ INTERNATIONAL or Euro Million Lotto or the Foundation for the Promotion of Software Products (F.P.S.) - "Mrs Ruth Fraiser", "Peter Hands"
  32. UK National/PRIZE AWARD DEPT or the National Lottery - Becky Owen, David Nelson

     

Also see these pages:

For a listing of scam sweepstakes company names that start with _, click on the letter:

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J-K L  M  N  O  P  Q-R  S  T  U-V  W-X-Y-Z

Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery 

Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies

How to report a sweepstake scam

Click here for page 3;  to find out how to report a sweepstake scam

Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery 

Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery and sweepstakes scams companies

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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.