my cousin got a letter in the mail saying she won 50,000,so she had to call the number to confirm it.so they told her that she will be expecting a check in 7 to 14 day right,so the check came and it was 2,950.00 but the letter that came with it said she had to confirm she got that too.now they said she had to go put the check in her bank so it can clear and in order for her to get the the rest she have to send 2,810 to the tax agency in london at 4 london road but now we heard there is not a tax agency on 4 london road.so could someone please tell me what that sound like o and she already put the check in the bank.
2007-08-16 15:30:24 · 19 answers · asked by nicey_2c 1 in Travel ➔ United Kingdom ➔ London
It's most likely a scam. Your friend should not spend any of the money that she deposited and not send any check to the address indicated. Contact the local law enforcement and have them investigate although there probably is not much they can do at this point. Just dont let your friend lose more then she already lost in the bounce check fee that is surely coming.
The link below describes a scam similar to whay you are describing.
2007-08-16 15:38:04 · answer #1 · answered by Truck 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
first impression...
scam, scam, scam and eggs, scam.
OK with that out of the way.. some ways to verify.
Check to see if there is a scam prevention office or phone number for your area. (in the US many states have started a Hot-line for people to call to see if an offer is legit)
Did your cousin sign up for anything that would have awarded 50,000?
There's a good chance that the check she got is a fake. Her bank should be able to confirm that. Many scammers require that you send the "tax money" in before you get a chance to find out the check is fake. If by some chance the check is real, have her bank set up a temporary account to deposit that check into. That way the senders have no Idea what her real account number is. To reinforce the scam the tax money should be pulled out of the winning money, not paid in advance out of her pocket.
2007-08-16 22:47:04 · answer #2 · answered by Tom V 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She has been scammed. Just tell her not to think of that money as hers (i.e., don't spend that amount on anything).
Soon the bank will contact her, telling her the check is no good. Also, the thieves will now have her banking information, so she should close that account and open up a new one. The bank can help her with that.
Call the police and report this.
2007-08-16 22:52:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I get these announcements about winning in lotteries, "secret" money transfers from Nigeria or China, inheritances (i am allegedly the only heir of a fortune) almost every day. There still must be some people around, who believe that they can get something for nothing.
The police knows about these scams, however, they seem to prefer to write traffic tickets rather than going after these scam crooks.
Wake up (you and your cousin) before you lost your money! Never ever provide any information about your banking to strangers.
2007-08-17 04:31:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a very common scam. It may take weeks or months, but eventually the bank will figure out that the check was stolen and take the money back out of your cousin's account.
Your cousin should not send the 2810 anywhere.
Your cousin should not spend the money, because she will have to pay it back to the bank.
Your cousin should ask to speak to the bank's security officer and tell them what happened.
2007-08-16 22:40:23 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is a scam. If your cousin pays the cheque into her account and then sends off the money that they require her money will leave her account straight away, but when the bank tries to clear the cheque they will find that there are no funds to cover the cheque, so your cousin will be 2,810 worse off.
Whilst the majority of us would love to win/inherit a large sum of money very few of us are fortunate enough to do so, and if something seems to good to be true then it generally is.
2007-08-17 04:12:43 · answer #6 · answered by sarch_uk 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your cheque in the bank is ok, id call it a day and wouldnt sent the 2,810, as you nearly giving it all back, cant see the point of this, as that would make you even, they will probally stop they cheque you have paid in, and then just cash yours. Somethings not right. Do not part with any money, you have probally paid mega bucks for the phone calls youve made.
2007-08-17 03:41:16 · answer #7 · answered by leigha 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im gonna tell you exactly how this scam works...they were clever this time but they usually set it up differently
They send you fake check that will clear at the bank temporarily.....then the bank will realize there fake after you've already sent them the cash.....Next thing you know the bank is calling saying u cashed fake checks.......now you owe that 3000 to the bank and some a**hole is laughing and spending money your now in debt from....report it and dont even try to cash it
2007-08-16 22:38:11 · answer #8 · answered by J B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not the brightest cat in the bunch, but I know a scam when I see one. I would contact a lawyer and find out what it's all about. Might be some type of identity theft too.
2007-08-16 22:39:46 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its a scam.
And if she has sent the details requested she needs to contact her bank as the scammers now have all the information necessary to drain her accounts of funds and open new accounts in her name and run up debts against her credit rating.
2007-08-17 03:43:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋