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 "Horin Elizabeth" at "PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Mr. Harry Johnson" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian 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 "PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS". It's clear that this is a scam that has nothing to do with the real company "Publisher's Clearinghouse".
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 sweepstakes and lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to enter or buy more of their products. 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!"
Require the winner to pay - U.S. federal law prohibits sweepstakes from charging you for anything, not "delivery", couriers, taxes, fees, handling charges, or anything else!
Here is a typical scam sweepstakes winning notification.
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:18:33 -0000 (GMT)
Subject: Pch Beneficiary
From: "PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE INTERNATIONAL" < pchsender@hotmail.com >
Reply-to: harryjohnsonpch@gmail.com
PUBLISHERS CLEARING HOUSE INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS PCH INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Dear Publishers Clearing House Beneficiary,
We the Board of Directors for Publishers Clearing House(UK) official organisers of the Publisher's Clearing House Giveaway Programme brings to your notice that you are the lucky winner and beneficiary of the just concluded giveaway prize of 500,000.00 GB Pounds(Five Hundred Thousand Great Britain Pounds Sterlings) with the Giveaway #
- 13101, Batch # - PCH/008-13101, Ref. # - 012057-SSL. To file for your claims ,please follow below instructions:
COMPLETE THE BELOW INFORMATION & FORWARD TO PCH FUDICIARY AGENT *Required Details: Complete Names, Contact Address, Present Country, Telephone#, Mobile#, Email, Occupation, Sex, Marital Status.
*Amount Won:
*Giveaway Number:
*Batch Number:
*Reference Number:
FIDICIARY AGENT: Mr. Harry Johnson.
EMAIL: harryjohnson7844@gmail.com
OFFICE ADDRESS: 8 Sherps Road, Brickston Lane, London W4C 7ER Phone. +447031887020
+447031887021
Fax. +448709748906
Please note that the information required will not be furnished to any third party and will be used for the purpose at which it is required.
Beneficiaries are warned to keep their claims confidential until they have completed the remittance process to avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this programme.
Warmest Congratulations,
Horin Elizabeth