They tell me I have won a considerable sum, but have to open bank account etc. Don't believe its true but curious to know if anyone else has had the same experience. You of course have to deposit money in a bank account to open it, and then they deposit your winnnings..........mmm! This was sent to me via email and it was my email address that won the ticket - how did they get that ?
2006-07-11 05:44:11 · 6 answers · asked by sisi 1 in Games & Recreation ➔ Gambling
THIS IS A SCAM. THEY WILL IF YOU RESPOND ASK YOU TO PAY A FEE TO CLAIM YOUR WINNINGS. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU RESPOND TO THIS KIND OF EMAIL.
the only time you reply is if you entered a lottery and it's the same company as the one you entered that is emailing you.
genuine lotteries do not expect you to pay to collect your winnings.
these scams can also be used as a phishing exercise for not only your bank details but your full name, address and postcode as well as your date of birth and other personal identification that can be used to basically make you responsible for the debts they run up.
so if you have responded with any bank or other details then if the details can be used to gain access to any of your financial data you need to inform your banks immediately so they can detect any potential fraud on your account. failure to give your banks notice of a security breach could open up you being 100% liable for the debts or your account being drained.
so be careful. remember nothing in this life comes for nothing.
2006-07-11 06:01:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
You receive an unsolicited email, which states that you have won a major prize in an international lottery. Supposedly, your email address was collected online and attached to a random number that was subsequently entered in a draw for the lottery. In order to claim your prize, you are instructed to contact the official "agent" in charge of your case. You are also advised to keep the win confidential for "security reasons". This part of the scam is basically a random phishing expedition. If you respond in any way to the email, the scammers will send further messages or even contact you by phone in an attempt to draw you deeper into the scam.
You may be asked to provide banking details, a large amount of personal information, and copies of your driver's licence and passport. Ostensibly, these requests are to prove your identity and facilitate the transfer of your winnings. However, if you comply with these requests, the scammers will have enough information to steal your identity.
Sooner or later, the scammers will request some sort of advance fee supposedly to cover administration, legal or delivery costs. At its core, this scam is just a reworking of the Nigerian loan fraud, in which scammers also eventually ask for upfront fees to facilitate the "deal". Like Nigerian scams, victims who do actually pay the requested fees will probably find that they receive continuing payment demands to cover "unexpected expenses". The requests for money will go on until the victim realizes what is happening or has no further money to send.
In some cases, the scammers give victims the option of opening an account at a particular bank as an alternative to paying upfront fees. However, this "bank" which is completely bogus, will insist on an initial deposit of $3000 as a requirement for opening the account. The fake bank will have a legitimate looking website to reinforce the scam. In other cases, the victim is given the option of travelling to an overseas destination and paying a cash fee to facilitate the release of the funds. However, any "winnings" released to the victim will be counterfeit and therefore worthless.
The details of the lottery scams vary regularly with regard to the name of the lottery itself, the country of origin, the sponsoring organization, the amount of the "prize" and other particulars. The scammers try to add a patina of legitimacy to their claims by mentioning real financial institutions, government departments or well-known companies. They may also provide links to slick looking, but fraudulent websites that are designed to back up information included in the scam emails. If the scammers are successful in establishing a dialogue with a potential victim, they may provide "proof" such as a scanned image of a supposed government official's ID and even photographs of the "winnings" in cash.
If you receive one of these scam emails, it is important that you do not respond to it in any way. The scammers are likely to act upon any response from those they see as potential victims. Although it can be educational and even entertaining to "bait" these scammers, such endeavours should only be attempted under controlled conditions. The people who run these scams are criminals and could even resort to violence and intimidation to meet their aims. You should delete the email without replying. Alternatively, you can forward the email to the address supplied on the FraudWatch International website for further investigation. http://www.fraudwatchinternational.com/internetfraud
If you have supplied banking details, a large amount of personal information, and copies of your driver's licence and passport to the scammers, then you may become a victim of identity theft. For details on what to do, read the Help for Victims of Identity Theft article on the FraudWatch International website.
Unfortunately, there is probably very little you can do to recover any money you have already supplied. However, you should inform your local law enforcement agency as soon as possible. Also, take steps to protect your identity by reading the Help for Victims of Identity Theft article on the FraudWatch International website.
2006-07-17 07:34:46 · answer #2 · answered by chem_princess 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes my friend its a scam,if you give them your name and address details etc they will also obtain credit with your details...oldest trick in the book,i get these mails everyday....just delete them and go about your everyday business,if you want to play the lottery online either go to national-lottery.co.uk or www.v-w-d.com/85182js these are the two main uk lotteries online
2006-07-11 06:35:12 · answer #3 · answered by thedarkmasteruk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's Just a Ploy to get you to send money in order for you to get money.....It's fake don't do anything with it ...place it under spam
2006-07-11 05:48:13 · answer #4 · answered by Pizzaguy913 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
these are lottery scams, so don't do anything but delete the email...
2006-07-11 05:47:52 · answer #5 · answered by muggle 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
don't touch it, it's gonna burn you
2006-07-11 05:54:40 · answer #6 · answered by Tony B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋