Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
There are affiliate links on this page.
Read our disclosure policy to learn more.
Translate this page to any language by choosing a language in the box below.
Have you received an email from "Mr Van Clapton" at "Net Lotto Promotions, International Lottery Programs" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "PACIFIC INSURANCE UK" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. Lotteries don't give money away to people who don't buy tickets - not even as a "promotion". That's just dumb; it would not motivate anyone to BUY a ticket! And No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
Below is another example of a fake lottery; this email claims to be from the "Net Lotto Promotions, International Lottery Programs".
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery will ever email a winner, there are many other signs that this is a fraud. We have highlighted some of these in the email below, not the least of which are:
Email address ballot: There is no such thing as a "computer ballot system" or "computer email draw". No one, not even Microsoft has a database of email addresses of the type or magnitude they suggest.
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar - Scammers apparently don't know how to use spell checkers. We assume they dropped out of school before that class. They use almost excessive and random CapItaLiZAtion. They often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to be "22nd". These scammers usually write at the 3rd grade level. Being non-native English speakers, they also often get first names and surnames (last names reversed), so you will frequently see names like "Mr. SMITH JAMES.", instead of "Mr. James Smith", along with the peculiar usage of periods (full stops) and spaces or the lack thereof. Real lotteries also proofread their emails and look and read more professional.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization would use its own email, its own domain and website?
Keep Confidential - Real lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to buy more tickets. there is NO risk of "double claiming" because they can validate where the ticket numbers were sold. The scammer want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them! It should read: "For our own security, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until we have finished scamming you!"
Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO NOTIFY WINNERS. Period. Full-stop. End of story. There mere fact ALONE that you received an email saying you won a lottery is proof that it is a scam.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
Net Lotto Promotions
International Lottery Programs
(Customer Services)Ref: Ng/9420X2/68
Batch: 074/05/ZY369WINNING NOTIFICATION
Dear Winner,
NOTIFICATION OF YOUR WINNING
We happily announce to you the draw (#952) of the Net Lottery Promo, online program held on 1st March 2007.Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 56475600545 188 with Serial number 5368/02 drew the lucky numbers: 02-19-28-33-44-49 (bonus no.21), which subsequently won you the lottery JACKPOT category i.e match 6. You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of $900,000.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308/03. This is from a total cash prize of $3.600,000.00 shared amongst four (4) lucky winners in this category.
All participants for the online version were selected randomly from World Wide Web sites through Ballot draw system and extracted from over 100,000 unions, associations, and corporate bodies that are listed online. This promotion takes place yearly.
Note that 10% of your claim will go to the victims of the December 2005 Tsunami Victims. In view of this, your $900,000.00 (Nine Hundred Thousand United States Dollars) would be released to you by our authorized official paying bank or Insurance company. as they will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact them. For security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential till your claims is processed and your money remitted to you in whatever manner you deem fit to claim your prize. This is part of our precautionary measure to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program.
To file for your claims. please contact Our Official Paying Insurance company below.
PACIFIC INSURANCE UK.
Emails: pacific_insurance07@yahoo.co.uk
Email The Insurance company for them to send you Payment Processing form which you will fill and return back to them.
Note: All claims must be made before one month of receipt of this Notification.
Mr Van Clapton
Net lotto Netherlands International Lottery PromotionsAPPROVED
Good luck & congratulation,
Net lotto Netherlands International Lottery Promotions.
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
***