steven_prentice_666
 |
It is a scam, and works like this:
You get the e-mail from a legitimate looking source (Yahoo Lottery, Microsoft Lottery... etc)
You write back saying "Have I really won, Brilliant!"
They write back saying "Yes, you have, now can you send me your full name and postal address so we can put your details in the system. Oh, can we have your mother maiden name to be used as a security question"
You write back saying "Brilliant idea, here are my details, Im am a millionaire"
They write and say "Right, the processing has started, can we have your bank details so we can pop the money straight in there. Oh, can we have a few personnal details for the press - date of birth, where you were born, maritial status.. amongst other things"
You say "OK, its easier that way, so here is the bank numbers"
They say "Thanks, now can you just phone us to confirm the press coverage, here is the premium rate number......"
You phone and are on the line for an hour, but its OK cause you are rich, right?
Then your money vanishes from the bank (remember the bank numbers you gave them and the mother maiden name? enough to get to your money), and your identity is stolen (remember the personal details and your address? Enough to get credit cards for them in your name)
So thats how it works!
Now how to tell if its a scam.
Mostly if you get an e-mail out of the blue, saying you have won money in a competition you have never heard off.
The spelling is likely to be poor
The reply e-mail addresses will be free ones (for example, @hotmail rather than @microsoft)
The supposed sender will be a professor, or doctor or other impressive sounding title person
The currency of the winnings will sound odd (Great British Pounds, Sterling is a common one)
Oh, and you are suspicious about the e-mail
So Scam, bin it and ignore |
Alletery
|
When you haven't entered a lottery and you are told you won, it is a scam. To make things worse some e-mails carry attachments that are viruses. Don't even open them, just hit the spam button.
Here are some links that tell you about the different types out there. The first is a message board where other people like you got them and are now warning others.
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1538758&SiteID=1
http://www.calottery.com/ConsumerAlert/LogoScam.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery_scam
http://www.lottery.co.uk/info/scams.asp
http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/lottery.asp |
Homepage 
Financial
Forum 
Corporations 
No Spam
Adult 
Gambling
Unfinished
Deception
Plagiarism
Not English
