Despite how many times
we've been warned, we just can't help falling for the prize winning scam.
Each and every day,
thousands of letters are delivered to household mailboxes and email accounts
throughout the United States and the United Kingdom. These letters consist of bogus claims,
stating that the recipient has won a prize for thousands, and sometimes
millions of dollars. Perhaps it's
something like a brand new car or a luxurious getaway to the Caribbeans. In order to claim the prize, the recipient is
usually required to pay a minimal fee or disclose details regarding their bank
account.
While it is very likely
that the recipient hasn't even entered a prize drawing, the sender will often
claim that they were specially selected based on personal details derived from
a trusted source. If the prize winner
happens to pay the fee or offer details of their account as requested, they are
unknowingly passing this information onto a scam artist and making themselves a
victim of a modern day organized crime ring.
About Nominal Fees
When instinct tells you
that something is too good to be true, more than likely it is. Still, a fair amount of people continue to
send off checks, money orders and compromise their bank accounts with the
belief that this a nominal price to pay for an even bigger reward.
In a recent raid on a
P.O. Box address located in Canada, authorities discovered several checks sent
from the U.K. made out for nominal fees to a fraudulent prize issuing
company. The total was only for a week's
worth of work, yet each check brought the grand total to an estimated
$350,000.
The List for Suckers
Enthused
by these tempting prizes, many people respond to deceptive letters, emails and
phone calls, thinking there is no real harm in checking into it. This is far from the truth. A statement released from the Office of Fair
Trading reports that individuals who do follow up find themselves on a "suckers
list." Their personal information is
then sold on the black market throughout the globe. Responding to a single plot could lead to a
future filled with nagging letters, emails and phone calls tempting to lure you
into another scam.
Warnings
from the Government
Prize
winning scams have become such an issue that the government has stepped in and
launched a campaign warning people of the dangers that exist with fraudulent
prize drawings. The best way to combat
these types of scams is to never send money up front. If everyone took note of this, prize winning
scams would have no power or funds to exist.
Legitimate Prize Winning Drawings
Unfortunately,
the growing number of phoney prize drawings has tarnished the name of this type
of competition in general. Nevertheless,
many competitions are being operated throughout the U.S. and the U.K. by
trustworthy companies. People should not
be discouraged by all the scams but exercise caution and suspicion when looking
to participate. It is highly recommended
that you do a bit of research on the company offering the prize and never send
any money in advance.
