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Lottery Scam Email:
Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V.
"Pieter Nowotny", "Trevor Browne of BENTLEY HUGHES ASSOCIATES"
Have you received an email from "Pieter Nowotny" at "Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V." telling you that "your
email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to
contact "Trevor Browne of BENTLEY HUGHES ASSOCIATES" to collect your winnings?
Interestingly, they sent this scam to a woman in India, the lottery is
supposedly based in Germany, yet they tell her to come to England to claim her
"prize". Of course, they know she will say she can't travel to England , and
then they will offer her the "option" of sending her a check or wiring it to her
bank - and in each case, she will have to pay "fees" first! It is a
scam. No legitimate, legal lottery is allowed to charge winners ANY fees, nor do
they notify winners via email! 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 "Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V.".
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.
Actual scam email from Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V. (One example - the scammers constantly change
names, dates and addresses!):
Sulzburgstr.140
Cologne D-50937 Germany
REF. NUMBER: GSB/0025/03/06
BATCH NUMBER: ASB/SP/021/AP-JY
Dear Sir/Ma/Miss,
RE: GOODWILL SWEEPSTAKES AND BONANZAS,
The Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland e.V. is a
Non-Governmental Organisation based in Cologne
Germany. In furtherance to its commitment to community
development and support for good causes in the arts,
sports, heritage, health, education, environment,
charity, internet awareness and financial empowerment,
is conducting the Goodwill Sweepstakes and Bonanzas.
CONGRATULATIONS!
We are pleased to inform you that you have been chosen
as a WINNER in the first quarter draws held on 29th January,
2007. Your email address attached to ticket with
serial number 00682373 drew the winning numbers
13-32-24-31-14-30. You have therefore been approved
for a pay out of E2,000,000.00 (two million euros
only). Please be informed that all participants in this
sweepstakes programme have been selected randomly
through a computer ballot system with millions of
entrants sourced using search engines and web sites.
To file for your claims please contact the designated
claims agent below:
TREVOR BROWNE,
BENTLEY HUGHES ASSOCIATES LIMITED
ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
email: bentley_hughes@myway.com
All winning claimes must be filed not later than March
30, 2007, after this date, unclaimed prizes will be
revoked. Arbeiter-Samariter-Bund Deutschland accepts
no liability for unclaimed prizes or the processing of
inaccurate account details or due to any technical
failure(s) or otherwise. Please note in order to avoid
unnecessary delays and complications endeavour to
quote your reference and batch numbers in your first
correspondence. Furthermore, should therebe any
change of address inform your agent as soon as
possible.
Please do not reply to this mail, contact your claims'
agent. Also you are automatically disqualified if you
are below 18years of age. Furthermore, should there be
any change of address do inform your agent as soon as
possible.
Any breach of confidentiality on the part of the
winners will result to disqualification.
Sincerely,
Pieter Nowotny
INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
ASB & Bentley Hughes Associates
The victim received a few more emails, then finally this:
Dear Madam,
I am pleased to inform you that the verification exercise has been concluded
satisfactorily and your status as a winner has been confirmed. Consequently, you
have been issued an prize certificate stating your prize winnings of €1,000,000,
a copy is attached to this mail.
Arbeiter Samriter Bund will pay the winnings in 7 installments, the first
installment will be for one-quarter of your total winnings and you shall receive
the outstanding amount spread out in six equal yearly payments.
The Winners Pack will contain;
1. The covering letter.
2. A congratulatory letter from Arbeiter Samariter Bund containing its
instructions, terms of payment, liabilities and obligations.
3. The award certificate.
4. Winner's plaque
5. A cheque issued in your favour.
You are thus advised to make preparations towards
coming to London, England to
personally sign-off to claim the cheque. For your information, because this
project is a philanthropic activity, provisions were made to ensure confirmed
winners receive enough support, financially and otherwise, to complete all
required procedures.
On behalf of Arbeiter Samariter Bund and Bentley Hughes Associates, accept our
warmest congratulations. Acknowledge this mail by replying immediately. I await
your response.
Yours faithfully,
Trevor Browne
BENTLEY HUGHES
ASSOCIATES
13 BRUNSWICK GARDENS ILFORD LONDON IG6 2QU
ENGLAND FAX: 44 87 0133 4161
The scammers also attached a copy of a bogus "certificate of winnings":
Names of Scam / Fake / Fraud Lottery
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery
scams companies
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