Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Mr. Edward Hudd (Director)" at "Yahoo Lottery / HSBC BANK" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "MRS. INNOCENTIA MASHAYA" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. 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 the example of the fake email scam (the email is the scam, not any persons or companies named in the email) claiming to be from the "Yahoo Lottery / HSBC BANK".
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.
"No tickets were sold": You care to explain where the money comes from? Perhaps the lottery money fairy? Why would a lottery give away money to "email address randomly selected by a computer ballot draw system"? This is CLEARLY nonsense: you MUST, repeat MUST buy a ticket to have a chance of winning any lottery!
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. Names are usually in all capital letters for some reason known only to these illiterate criminals. 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 it's own email, it's 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.
I am forwarding you herewith one of the so called 'Yahoo Internet Lottery' Scam with the real name of the person/scammer involved in this scam.
I was able to get her real name by pretending that I am willing and will be paying her the amount she is asking.
Please note her Name, address and other Information.
SCAMMER'S NAME: MRS. INNOCENTIA MASHAYA
152 sUITE 61, JAMES KEEP STREET, UK
TEL. NO. +44703189822727
Bank : HSBC, UK -- Acct. No. 57026622
I hope that appropriate actions could be made against this person to stop these activities or not to be able to victimize other people further.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Hsbc Bank Plc London International Remittance Dept < hsbcbankplc-remittancedept@ned-bnksa.com>
Date: Jan 16, 2008 2:31 PM
Subject: OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR (HSBC BANK PLC )DETAILS TO SEND THE BANK COT.
Attn:
Dear Sir/Madam
Date,16/1/2008
Thanks for your message.
Please find below our account details to transfer our bank C.O.T.Meanwhile, we have two options either through western Union or through bank-to-bank transfer you can chose any of your choice.
HSBC BANK:
SWIFT: MIOLGB22
SWIFT ADDRESS: RNNSZAJJ
ACCOUNT NUMBER: 57026622
BENEFICIARY NAME: MRS. INNOCENTIA MASHAYA
IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: 8301310799089
ADDRESS: 152 SUITE 61 JAMES KEEPS STREET UK.
...................................................................
To send through Western Union you can use the below details.
FIRST NAME: INNOCENTIA
SECOND NAME:MASHAYA
ADDRESS:152 SUITE 61 JAMES KEEPS STREET UK.
TEL: 44 7031898227
Once you make the payment remember to send us the payment slip as an evidence to enable us complete your transfer.
Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.
Sincerely
Mr. Edward Hudd (Director)
Tel:+44 7031898227
Fax:+44 8704 718 605
Fax:+44 870 478 6479
International Lottery Payment Department
HSBC BANK PLC LONDON
________________________________________________________________
HSBC BANK PLC LONDON Disclaimer and Confidentiality Note
This e-mail, its attachments and any rights attaching hereto are, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the property of Hsbc Bank Plc and/or its subsidiaries ("the Group"). It is confidential, private and intended for the addressee only.
Should you not be the addressee and receive this e-mail by mistake, kindly notify the sender, and delete this e-mail, immediately and do not disclose or use same in any manner whatsoever.
The Group does not warrant the integrity of this e-mail nor that it is free of errors, viruses, interception or interference. Licensed divisions of the Hsbc Bank Plc are authorised financial services providers in terms of the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act, No 37 of 2002 (FAIS).
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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