Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Below is yet another example of a fake lottery, this one using the name "AUSTRALIA LOTTO LOTTERY INC" and/or Australian Lottery Bonanza. Take your pick. Most of the time, the scammers like to include two different names for the lottery, or two variations of the name. Similarly, they often have two different contact names. Why, we do not know. Maybe in Nigerian culture, it makes the email more believable; to us, the lack of consistency is the opposite.
There are many signs that this is a fraud, not the least of which is that no legitimate lottery uses email to notify its winners! This email is also very similar to another scam also called the Australia Lotto Lottery Inc.
The victim said that the scammers asked for her full name, bank account information, etc. She gave them this information (which she should not) and then received an email from them asking her to send them $750.00 for some legal purposes to get the winnings. This is the typical scenario.
In addition to the usual clues, notice the gibberish writing, excessive/incorrect use of CAPITAL letters, lack of decent punctuation. The sentences don't even make sense. Hardly what a professional (i.e., real) lottery would do. Note the other clues to an obvious fraud that we have highlighted in the letter; keep confidential, selected by a random computer lottery of email addresses, use of free email accounts, etc.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
Also see this page for a sample in the UK.
Date 6/2/2007
Ref: 475061725
Batch: 7056490902/188
Winning No: GB8701/LPRC
CONGRATULATIONS
Australian Lottery Bonanza
Dear Sir/Madam
The Lucky Winner
We are delighted to inform you of your prize release on the 5th of February 2007 from the Australian International Lottery programme. Which is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses. Your name was attached to ticket number; 575061725 8056490902 serial number 6741137002 This batch draws the lucky numbers as follows 5-13-33-37-42 bonus number 17,which consequently won the lottery in the second category. You here by have been approved a lump sum pay of US$300,000.00 (THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 47509/02 from the total cash prize shared amongst eight lucky winners in this category. All participant were selected through a computer balloting system drawn form Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia,United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions program which is conducted annually. This Lottery was promoted and sponsored by a conglomorate of some multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the commmunities where they have operational base.
Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our European representative office in Amsterdam, Holland, as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of US$300,000.00 will be released to you from this regional branch office in AFRICA. We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of the year high stakes for US$1.3 Billion international draw.
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:
Simply contact our fiducial agent, JESSIE HELEN at jessie_helen_au@sino.net to file for your claim.
Please quote your reference, batch and winning number which can be found on the top left corner of this notification as well as your full name, address and telephone number to help locate your file easily. For security reasons, we advice all winners to keep this information confidential from the public until your claim is processed and your prize released to you. This is part of our security protocol to avoid double claiming and unwarranted taking advantage of this programme by non-participant or unofficial personnel.
Note,
All winnings MUST be claimed by the 5th of March ,2007; otherwise all funds will be returned as Unclaimed and eventually donated to charity. Congratulations once again on your winning.
PLEASE REPLY THIS EMAIL, CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS AGENT AT
NAME:,JESSIE HELEN
Best Regards
Mrs Rosemary Banks (Co-ordinator)
BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF THE WINNERS WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION.
THANKS:
MANAGEMENT, AUSTRALIA LOTTO LOTTERY INC.
Past winners round the world with full of excitment
LOTTERY SPONSORS: CHIEF SPONSORS;
Click here for the huge list of the names of the currently identified lottery scams companies
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