Lottery Scam Email:
AUSTRALIA LOTTERY INC.
"Barry T. Standford", "Barrister Duke Nelson"
Have you received an email from "Barry T. Standford" at "AUSTRALIA LOTTERY INC." telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "Barrister Duke Nelson" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners via email (see footnote) 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 "AUSTRALIA LOTTERY INC.". Also see this page for the reply from the scammers, "MR.RICHARD OKORO"
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:
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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! "
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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.
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Master list of sample lottery scam emails
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How to recognize a lottery scam
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What to do if you think you have been the victim of a lottery scam
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How the lottery / sweepstakes scams work
Actual scam email (One example - the scammers constantly change names, dates and addresses!):
"AUSTRALIA LOTTERY INC" < [email protected] >
AUSTRALIA LOTTERY INC.
5th Floor East
Commonwealth Centre
55 Currie Street
Adelaide SA 5000,
South Australia.
WINNING NOTIFICATION
We are delighted to inform you of the result of the E-mail address ballot lottery draw of the Australian cash-out lotto bv international programme, which took place on the 9th March. This is a computer generated lottery of Internet users using email addresses for draws.
This lotto draw is fully based on an electronic selection of winners using their e-mail addresses from different World Wide Web (www)sites. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 275-189-657-23-05 with Serial number 8756-05 drew the lucky numbers and bonus ball number which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category.
You have therefore been approved to claim a total sum of US$250, 000.00 (TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND U.S DOLLARS) in cash credit file ref: ILP/HW 47509/02.
This is from the total cash prize of US$2, 000, 000 Million Dollars, shared amongst the first Ten (10) lucky winners in this category. All participant were selected randomly through a computer balloting system drawn from Nine hundred thousand E-mail addresses from Canada, Australia, United States, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Oceania as part of our international promotions programme which is conducted annually.
This Lottery is being promoted and sponsored by a conglomerate of Multinational companies as part of their social responsibility to the citizens in the communities where they have operational base.
Further more your details (e-mail address) falls within our European representative office in African Nigeria, as indicated in your play coupon and your prize of US$250, 000.00 will be released to you from our regional branch office in WEST AFRICA.We hope with part of your prize, you will participate in our end of year high stakes for US$1.3 Billion international draw. Our agent will immediately commence the process to facilitate the release of your funds as soon as you contact him.
HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE:
Simply contact your claims agent, Barrister Duke Nelson at email: ([email protected]) by filling this form below and send it to him to file for your claim.
LOTTERY WINNERS APPLICATION FORM OF PAYMENT.
FULLNAME...
DATE OF BIRTH...
ADDRESS...
SEX... AGE...
MARITAL STATUS...
NATIONALITY...
OCCUPATION...
TELEPHONE...
FAX...
EMAIL...
DATE...
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