Lottery Scam Update

Although this email scam has been around for a fairly long time, it seems to be alive and well and because it may end up in your email inbox, here's what the Lottery Winner Scam is about. First you get an email. It is likely from another Country. It says your email address has been selected as a winner in a lottery or as in the example below, a grant/donation prize. The organization it is from sounds very official. It asks you for basic information and provides an email and fake address.

Here is an actual example of this scam that I got in my inbox recently, although in some you will be the "winner" of a random email address selection or IP address selection, they all are FAKE:


OFFICE OF THE SENATE HOUSEFEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIACOMMITTEE ON FOREIGN PAYMENT(RESOLUTION PANEL ON CONTRACT PAYMENT)
IKOYI-LAGOS NIGERIA
CONTACT E-mail: atm.payout20@hotmail.com
Our Ref: FGN /SNT/STBYour Ref.

Dear Beneficiary.Congratulations as we bring to your notice,The Office of the senate houseof Assembly has chosen you by the board of trustees as one of the finalrecipients of this fiscal new year 2008 promotion cash grant/Donation. Tocelebrate the 9th anniversary celebration,We are giving out a yearlydonation of The ATM Card Value is S$5,500,000, to 5 lucky recipients,asNew Year 2008 promotion from the W.H.O,UN, and the EU in accordance withthe enabling act of Parliament. To file for your claim you are to fill outbelow information and send it to the Payment Remitance Office Via theiremail contact address:
Full Name......
Residential Address......
Occupation......
Country....
Telephone:
Fax Number:
Sex....
Age.
IDENTITY CARD IF ANY.
Payment Remittance ContactWinning Batch No:W-342-8876,U-500-32)Mr.Henry Morgan .E-mail: atm.payout20@hotmail.com


As you can see, they don't even know my name. They don't know anything about me because I haven't entered any contest, lottery or entry for a prize.

What they do after you have provided the information they are after (which by the way opens you up for identity theft issues) is give you a fake money order or cheque and ask you to pay an amount for fees, shipping or transfers. Of course, you are to pay them before you find out the money order or cheque they give you is a fake.

You are out the money you send them and are also in trouble for the fraudulent deposit. Nice people aren't they? Never fall for these scam emails, never give them any information. Unfortunately, most of these people are almost impossible to track down and you're not likely to get justice if you do fall for this scam. Beware of any email the says you have won anything that you haven't actually entered. They will take your money and your private information and run.