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LOCAL2 Staff for local2 sault ste. marie
November 21st, 2012 | Last Updated at 10:57am
Have you received an email from AMERICAN MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY telling you that your email address won and to call to collect your winnings? IT IS A SCAM! No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners via email.
The East Algoma OPP in Elliot Lake received a complaint of a possible internet scam on November 16th, 2012. The complainant reported to police that he had received an email stating that he had won 3.5 million dollars and a new Mercedes. He was advised to send $1,200.00 and he could claim his prizes. Further investigation by police revealed it was a scam.
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery will ever email a winner, there are more other signs that this is a fraud.
Email address ballot: There is not such thing as a “computer ballot system” or “computer email draw”. No one, not even Microsoft has a database of email addresses of this type or magnitude they suggest.
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar: Scammers apparently don’t know how to use spell checkers. They also often get first names and surnames (last names reversed). So you will frequently see names like Mr. Smith James which should be Mr. James Smith.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail). Real organizations would use their own email, their own domain and website.
Keep Confidential: Real lotteries THRIVE on publicity – they don’t want you to keep anything secret. Publicity causes people to buy more tickets. The scammer wants you to keep quiet because they don’t want the police or anyone hearing about them.
Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO NOTIFY WINNERS. End of story!
If you suspect you or someone you know has been a victim of fraud, contact the OPP, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) and report the crime.
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