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Monday, August 16, 2010

Top 10: True Clues that the Sweepstakes Winning Notice is a Scam

I actually received something in the mail today. Some signs that it's a scam:

  1. They reference...but misspell...American Express in the notice.
  2. All sorts of bizarre bar codes and "Actual" stamps all over it.
  3. My name is listed in all caps and in a different font.
  4. The return address is a mailing label for some place in Canada.
  5. Call required to an agent to claim winnings (in my case $650,000).
  6. The following footnote: "Due to the Confidentiality Act put in place by the International Lottery Commission you are required to keep all information strictly confidential."
  7. The "Security Sealed for Protected Delivery" stamp at the bottom on the notice.
  8. A certificate number that is different than a issuing document number which is different than a ticket number which is different than a file reference number (I kid you not).
  9. They will only hold my win for two weeks.
  10. All manner of weird indentations in the text.
Damn, so much for winning $650G's. I guess I can kiss that time-traveling DeLorean goodbye.

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