Foreign Lottery Scam?

Question

I got a letter in the mail today. The outside of the envelope was blank besides my address and a postage stamp. The letter is from the European Commission. This letter is telling me that I won over a million british pounds. It says that I'm one of the 17 finalists for this prize. It says that I don't have to pay any tax to the british government and I have to respond within 20 days of getting the letter. I got it august 27th and today is august 30th. 2008 that is.... It telling me I need to keep this confidential and 10% of it belongs to UK BONDS AND CREDITORS because they are the company that brought my ticket and played the lottery on my name. To begin my claim I have to call this number outside of the United States. It is a real phone number. It is also signed by some guy and I have a personal email address wich I already sent an email to inquiring about weather or not this letter I received is real or not. No response yet. The letter has all of an identification number refference number, ticket number and serial number in order to claim my prize instead of asking me for personal imformation like a social security number. Before I go ahead and get my hopes up, is there a chance that this could be real? I don't remember entering any sort of lottery but I do get mail occasionally from sources that I don't remember giving my information to.

Answer 1

its a scam. i got an email saying i won the netherland lottery of 2 million euros. dont believe it

Answer 2

These things are NEVER real. If you are really a real winner, they will contact you, not you contact them. Its really ironic, why would someone buy a lotto for you? You know you can have a lawsuit for people using your name without your consent. Secondly, the European Comission is a government authority, not a lottery.

Don't get your hopes up, if you cooperate, they will slowly ask for more info from you.

Follow info from sites like this: http://www.consumerfraudreporting.org/re...

to know where to report this scam.

These again, are never real. If you calculated all the "lotteries and inheritances" from the email scams, why aren't you richer than Bill Gates? Never believe in something too good to be true.

Answer 3

There is more chance of you winning Powerball and Mega Millions in the same week, as this being real.

There is no European Commission that operates a lottery, payable in British Pounds to random people around the world who never even paid to play.

In fact in the UK (the only country likely to give a prize in British Pounds), there is only one real lottery, and you have to pay £1 to enter it.

There is no reason why any company or organization would go around buying tickets in your name, and then sending you the winnings (or even 90% of the winnings).

It is all just a scam to steal your identity.

If you investigate any of the facts in the letter you will see that it is an obvious scam.  Bin it, and don't get your hopes up.

Answer 4

THIS IS A SCAM.  DO NOT ANSWER IT.  I have been getting some of the same type of e-mails on Yahoo.  I know I have never bought a lottery ticket except in Texas.  There is no way I could have won one from another country.  If someone wants you to give them personal information including your SS#, they are wanting to steal your identity, etc.  

Every website that I have ever joined warn me not to give out personal information.  They specifically tell you not to give out SS#, etc. Yahoo even tells its members that they will never ask for such personal information.  Same thing goes for all "e-mails" like the one you got.

Don't give them any information.  I immediately delete this type of e-mail without opening them.  You don't get something for nothing, especially MONEY.

Answer 5

Call your local non-emergency police phone number. Tell them that you are suspicious of it. They will probably come over and take it from you as evidence, but you will be helping other people be safe from the scammers!

Answer 6

It's a scam.  Let me ask you this:  when did you sign up for that lotto?  Never?  Thought so.