Protect Yourself and Your Account from Scams
You Won the $94,000 Prize in the EuroLotto!
I did some snooping around on the Internet. The lawyer in New York City did not exist. The website for the EuroLotto did not exist. I found a few blogs from people who had fallen for the scam, cashed the check, and had to repay the funds. Some people cashed the checks at check-cashing stores. If they couldn't repay the funds, they faced jail sentences.
Never fax any personal information unless you have initiated the contact and you know the other party. Never remit a fee to claim lottery winnings.
Never cash a check you receive from a lottery or drawing in which you didn't enter. The check may have a watermark and look real, but it is most likely a bogus check and a scam. Your bank will freeze your funds. In addition, the bank might close your account if you deposit a fraudulent check. If the cash the check, the bank can have you arrested if you cannot pay the funds back. If I cashed the check and wired $4,696.77 to the EuroLotto, I would have been out of $4,696.77 for the check I cashed and $4,696.77 for the amount I would have wired for a total of $9393.54.
Keep your banking and personal information confidential. Never give out your checking account numbers or credit card numbers.
For more information about scams, visit these Web sites:
1. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menu-internet.htm.
2. Fair Credit Billing at http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/fcb.htm.
3. Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.org/.
4. American Bar Association's Safe Shopping Web site at http://www.safeshopping.org.
Remember, playing cross-border lotteries is a violation of Federal law. Yes, it is illegal! Don't pay for winning something. That's a dead giveaway of a scam. Never fill out online or paper prize forms. The scammers use the information to add your contact information to more scam lists.
Published by Susan Croes
Susan Croes, MBA & MA. ED., is a Senior Instructional Designer, Technical Writer, and Copywriter. She specializes in courseware design and development, technical writing, and copywriting. View profile
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12 Comments
Post a CommentI like many others can use money in a time when money is hard to come by.So I entered an online lottery call free lottery.Some months later I received a phone call notifying me that I've won(I forgot the name of the lottery)and I would receive a check in the mail.A week later I received a 2590.00 with instruction to deposit the check and when it cleared,I was to pay 495.00 processing fee.I deposited the check and the bank withdrew 2590.00 from my account.I contacted my bank and they said that the check was a fraud and that they was investigating. And once they verified the sender I would be reimbursed.I called the phone number that was on the check and at first the man that answered said that the check was legit.However the next call I did not get an answer.A week later I was reimbursed by the bank (not without a sterned warning from the bank).
Oh my God I feel like the most stupid person in the world. I recently received a letter and a check stating that I won 55,000. I did cash the check and I did western union them back a certain amount of money and they are supposed to be mailing me back a certified check. I asked two different people at the bank if this check was good and if it had cleared and they said that it did. I am so scared I am sick to my stomach can anyone help me to understand what is going to happen to me. I don't want to be in any legal of financial problems. please e-mail me at ondeckflygirl@aol.com I am very scared. How could I be so stupid....
11/30/06 I just received a letter via USPS! from Rainbow Resource Center (subsid of Euro Trust Corp) indicating I won $47000. They enclosed a check for $4995 (very real looking!) to pay for the winning's taxes and informed me that after I called I'd be instructed to send back in $2985. This is blatently illegal - international and using postal delivery!!!! Please put a stop to this. I almost called until I checked the internet. Sadly too many people will not check into it further.
I just received a letter via US mail from Euro lotto claiming I won $88,000 dollars. They also sent a check in the amount of 1998.75 from JP Morgan institutional Trust Services - looks legit, much like what is descibed from others on this site. I called and the guy I talked with became belligerent with me when I questioned him about the legitamacy of the winnings. First I've never played a lottery, the expiration date to claim funds, and sending money for to claim any winnings made me leary. So here I am on the net, reading about this scam crap. Thanks for these postings, this is how we can slow down and eventually stop this kind of abuse. I noticed the address was the same as another posting I read - Euro Trust Corporation, 145 Southland Dr. S.E. Suite 204 Calgary, AB T2J 5x5. Phone #705-770-2314. Thanks for your information. I still have the check and letter, so I can contact the postal service and authorities.
I got the exact letter Beth did except contact was Ella Black ph#705-770-2316 check was from L&B Contracting from New Jersey with a canadian ph#705-770-2283 in the amount 1998.25 put the check in the bank and it came back with a stop payment on it.So I called Ella who was never in someone else answered the phone and said the stop payment was issued because to many people cashed the checks and never paid the taxes sounds fishy to me
Irecieved a letter and a check thats supposed t o cover whatever taxes on 88.000 for 2997.00 THe checkis from Comcast and the Bank is Bank 1. I am calling both on Monday and then I am turning the check and letter over to he authorities. Then I am going to sue whomever sent the check for the amiunt they said I won. I wont stop till I win.Then I am going to donate most of the money.
I just received my Swiss Lotto Certificate of Award (unfortunately they did not spell certificate correctly). Called US Postal Service
and reported it, then I called Wooster Products Inc. (company check
was cut from). Wooster Products took down the check number (they were stolen) and advised me not to cash it (no kidding). This scam
is running out of Canada now, sure wish they would shut these criminals down. I know some older folks who would have already
been at the bank with these checks (they look very authentic).
Maybe something will be done now that this scam has progressed to
using the US Postal Service. If you get one of these checks report it to the US Postal Service- they were very nice and submitted a report.
US Postal Service-
Can't wait for your next info Lenny. Good luck. I still got the check in my hands. If it will turn out to be a fake check, then somebody must do something about this scam. Just wanna remind everyone to be cautious, because I just received another one in the mail. This time, 6 pieces vouchers worth $400 each. They sell items worth $515, $489, etc., where I can use the vouchers to purchase the items and send them payment for the remaining balance. It came from SWEEPSTAKES CLEARINGHOUSE.
I received the same letter as beth. I deposited the check in my account but haven't used any of the money. I will be at the bank tomorrow with my letter and have them debit my account.
I am new in this country. I never heard much about scams. I was so excited that I almost fainted when I received a letter this afternoon informing me I am one of the 27 international winners in the European Int'l Lottery Programs who won $88,000. It's a Swiss Lotto Certificate of Award with an enclosed check on it instructing me to deposit the check to my account and pay the tax and clearance fee to the North American Agent. Then I will receive $80,960 minus 8% sponsor's commission. The letter said I have to contact Patrick Jones of Oxford Financial Management Group, subsidiary of Euro Trust Corp., 145 Southland Dr SE, Suite 204, Calgary, AB T2J 5X5, Tel.819-319-0268. I called this number, answering machine said message box is full. I surfed the internet trying to verify this matter and found this site with you guys talking a lot about similar letters you got. I still have this check in the amount of $2,998.65 issued by United States Steel Corporation with an account at Mellon Bank,