Lottery Scam-Advice to a Reader
Posted by
eli
on 5/06/09• Categorized as Business Advice
A reader e-mailed me yesterday, asking advice about an e-mail that she had received. She writes: “Two days ago, I received an e-mail from a so called UK Lottery, informing me that my e-mail with the attached number was entered into a contest, and that I have won 250,000 pound sterling. Wow! End of my financial worries. In that e-mail I was given a number to call, and I was advised to claim my prize immediately.
My question is, Is the e-mail that I won in a lottery true? I did not enter into a contest. It’s too good to be true, winning 250,000 pounds sterling. Please advice. “
MY ADVICE: Yes, it’s too good to be true, but it is probably a scam. I have received similar e-mails in the past, and out of curiosity, I did call the contact person. And I was told by the person on the other line that I have to deposit 500 pounds to his account, as a “fee to process my winnings.” So, if you want to claim the money by calling the person listed in the e-mail, he will ask you to send a processing fee in advance. That’s where the scam is.
Please note that you have not really won anything at all, because you did not bought a lottery ticket, did you? But to get money from you, your alleged winning will be dangled in front of you, and you have to pay an advance processing fee, to make the scammer rich by getting as much money out of your processing fee, usually 500 pounds. And that’s the end of your money, and the last that you will hear from the scammer also.
So, be careful. Do not fall into the trap.
It’s good i was able to come across your site, and read about this e-mail lottery scam. I received a similar e-mail about two weeks ago, telling me that my e-mail address won 500,000 U.S dollars. The e-mail notification came from American Lottery International, and was sent by a person by the name of Jim Wolworth, at Americal Lottery International. I was about to call him to ask on how to claim my winning, because in the e-mail notification, i was advised to claim it within 7 days. But something inside me go against calling him. So, I just put it off, and do some research on the internet about this e-mail lottery. It’s good I came to your site, and now I have an idea.