2006-10-05 23:33:55 · 15 answers · asked by Bapboy 4 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
They generally ask you for a "processing fee" of some kind to enable the money to be transfered to you. Its sometimes a couple of hundred, going up to the thousands. once you pay it to them you can kiss goodbye to your money!!
2006-10-05 23:37:59 · answer #1 · answered by OriginalBubble 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
They work because, in general, people are greedy and stupid...
What happens is that when you reply they tell you that the money will be on the way to you soon. Eventually they will say that they need X amount of money so that they can process the forms to release your money. They will then say that you need to claim the money in person otherwise you will need to hire a lawyer (conveniently supplied by them) to act as your proxy. They will then need more money to release the cash. All the while they will keep saying that $1000 is a small price to pay considering you won X million dollars...Once you run out of money they will disappear...
2006-10-06 06:43:58 · answer #2 · answered by John K 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only 3?
2006-10-06 06:43:09 · answer #3 · answered by crosbie 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You either have to send them money, so that they can send you're "million dollar cheque" with ensured mail. Of course no cheque is ever send.
Or you have to call them on a 0845 or other charge number, and they keep you on the phone for hours, charging you £2.50 a minute.
Don't ever fall for these. If you haven't entered any competition, you have not won. You can not be automatically entered in to any draw without you're consent, so don't believe that either.
2006-10-06 06:44:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anria A 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mum "won the lottery" in another country, luckily we had been forewarned by somebody.
They ask you for a processing fee (remember those banking / information adverts?) when you have paid it, they disappear - that's the best case scenario, the worst - they empty your bank account from your details.
The internet is the worst place as it's easier to get all your details, I would report them...
2006-10-06 06:47:22 · answer #5 · answered by Helen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Usually there's a stipulation that in order to "collect" your prize money you have to give them something.
*Sometimes it's your bank account number (which they then use to withdraw all your money).
*Other times you have to send them money to cover some costs of sending you your prize (which you won't ever get).
*I've also heard of a new one where they send you a cheque for a larger amount that what you've "won" and ask you to wire them back a certain amount. (after you send the wire, the cheque bounces and you're stuck having to pay for the wire transfer).
Basically they are all ways to scam you out of your money!!
2006-10-06 06:42:13 · answer #6 · answered by ErnieBert 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow, you're so lucky.
You have to be careful because these scams ask for your bank accoutn detaisl to validate your ID. Thats how they work, they then drain your account or cerdit cards.
However, if you give me your bank account details I can check you're ID on thier behalf. Because of the nature of the checks I advise that you do not check your bank account balance for a week or so, just to make sure the validation checks work ok.
2006-10-06 06:48:45 · answer #7 · answered by Michael H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They next say something like "to process your claim we need you to send £50" to ship the money release documents, bankers cheque etc, which of course you do because 50 pounds against £1 millon pounds is peanuts. You send the money and they disappear. Other scarier tales include people going to Nigeria to collect winnings/money and then being kidnapped at the airport for ransom.
2006-10-06 06:41:00 · answer #8 · answered by budda m 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They are often used for money laundering. The person will offer to send you the (small) amount of money, but also ask you to accept an additional amount to forward on to his "friend" in the UK on the premis it will cost him less to send one amount international monney transfer to you and then you do a transfer to his friend for free from your bank account.
In effect, therefore, you're getting paid for being a money launderer. Don't touch it with a barge pole
2006-10-06 06:39:07 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
They work because a minority of dumb and greedy people send them money which, of course, they never see again.
Think about it. It costs virtually nothing to send an email. If you send 10,000 and you get a reply from 1%, that's 100 replies. I forget what they ask you to send - sometimes it's money, sometimes it's your bank details. If they have your bank details, they virtually have an open cheque.
2006-10-06 06:40:10 · answer #10 · answered by Owlwings 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am pleased to see you realised it was a scam,
I've never been "had", but then I don't actually read those letters that come through my door, that I don't recognise.
If only more people didn't fall for it we'd all be happy. (well, not the scammers.)
2006-10-06 06:43:59 · answer #11 · answered by Melc 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋