Spanish Lottery Scam!

 

The United States Embassy in Madrid, the United States Consulate General in Barcelona and the Office of Overseas Citizens Services at the U. S. Department of State receive frequent inquiries about the Spanish Lottery (sometimes referred to as "El Gordo"). Most inquiries result in complaints in regards to a scam in which purported Spanish lottery officials inform victims that they have won a large cash prize. This scam is just one example of the many advance-fee cons being run around the world.


How the Spanish Lottery scam works

There is a general pattern among the scams. First, the victim receives an "award confirmation" through fax or email informing them that they have won a large amount of money in a Spanish lottery drawing. "Due to a clerical error" or some other sort of mix-up, the winner is asked to keep his or her prize confidential until the winnings are released to them. Most times, there is a deadline to claim the money. Once the "transfer process" begins, the victim is informed of various delays requiring the payment of transfer fees, taxes, anti-terror fees, insurance fees, claims agent fees, and other administrative costs that they must pay before the prize can officially be collected. The scam runs under many different seemingly official names such as "El Gordo Sweepstakes Lottery" or even by utilizing actual lottery names such as "Once."


How the real Spanish lottery system works

Two of the most common legitimate Spanish lotteries are "El Gordo," one of the largest lottery drawings in the world, and "La Primitiva." They are lotteries, not sweepstakes, and are a part of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, meaning that they are government endorsed. While some lotteries are drawn weekly, "El Gordo" is only drawn one time per year during the Christmas season. The Spanish lottery does not tax any of its prizes.


In order to enter and win "El Gordo," you must be a resident of Spain and purchase your ticket within the country. Keep in mind YOU CANNOT WIN IF YOU DID NOT BUY A TICKET! You must purchase your entry to the drawing in Spain in order to win. It is against U.S. federal law to play a foreign lottery through the mail or over the phone.


What to Watch Out For

1. If you did not purchase a ticket to the lottery in Spain, you cannot win a prize.
2. The primary methods of distribution for this scam are through the internet, mail, or by fax. Legitimate government run lotteries normally choose television, radio, or newspapers to advertise themselves
. 3. Many of the prize letters state that the deadline to claim the prize is soon to expire.
4. No legitimate lottery, including any Spanish lottery, would request advance fees.
5. Fake addresses are often used, and telephone numbers given are usually those belonging to cellular phones in Spain beginning 011-34-6_ _ _.
6. The names of the people allegedly sending the winner notices, as well as their associates and colleagues, usually have names that do not fit with Spanish tradition. For example, a normal Spanish name would have two last names, one for the mother and one for the father, such as "Jorge Sanz Gonzalez." Instead, the names at the bottom of the notices are often composed solely of two first names, like "Jorge Alberto," or are even more simplified names like "Mr. Pedro."
7. Characteristically, written notices contain frequent spelling and grammar mistakes or awkward wording.
Here is an example of one "official" fax memo:


Dear Sir,

According to our discussion regading the retrevition of the fund, please endavour to demand of your bank to look into the transfer process to verify

1. The position of the money
2. If the fund is still laying in the bank where transferred
3. The statement of the account
I will be glad to heare from you as soon as the investigation is made.

Thanks and remain bless

Sincere,
Juan David


How to Protect Yourself and Your Assets

1. DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY! Participation in a foreign lottery through the mail or over the phone violates U.S. federal law. Furthermore, it will be essentially impossible to recover any money you send to a fraudulent operation.
2. DO NOT GIVE OUT PERSONAL INFORMATION! Keep all bank and credit card information to yourself as it can make you vulnerable to fraudulent use of your accounts or identity theft.
3. DO NOT RESPOND! Simply corresponding with the operators of a scam increases your chances of receiving similar offers.
Who to Contact


If you have been a victim of this or any other type of advance fee scam, get into contact with the authorities. If you are in Spain, you can file an official police report with the Spanish police and contact the U.S. Embassy in Madrid or the U.S. Consulate General in Barcelona at:


Madrid
Tel: [34] 91-587-2240
Fax: [34] 91-287-2243


Barcelona
Tel: [34] 93-280-2227 ext. 207 or 272
Fax: [34] 93-280-6175


If you are in the U.S. you should contact your local FBI office or State Attorney General's office. The FBI has an Internet Fraud Complaint Center, and you can file a report at www.ifccfbi.gov


You should also provide information to the Spanish Embassy in the United States.


The Federal Trade Commission works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and you can call them at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or visit www.ftc.gov.


In addition, the U.S. Secret Service investigates fraud cases and can be reached by contacting your local field office.


Finally, if you receive lottery material from a foreign country you can turn it over to your local postmaster. To find an office near you, log onto www.ftc.gov.


For the latest security information, Americans traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet web site at travel.state.gov where the current Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, Travel Warnings and Public Announcements can be found. Up-to-date information on safety and security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the U.S., or for callers outside the U.S. and Canada, a regular toll-line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).

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EURO MILLION LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL

CALLE MOSTOLES 23C PISO 6G 28923 MADRID ESPANA.
FROM:THE DESK OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD
REFERENCE: 67/55/IBL
BATCH: EGGS-541-444-081
DATE:17TH,AUGUST,2006.

ATTENTION! ATTENTION!! ATTENTION!!!


CAN A LOTTERY WIN MAKES YOU HAPPY???
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/3479213.stm

YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS WON THE LOTTERY AWARD 2006


We wish to congratulate you over your email success in our computer balloting sweepstake held on 13th of April,2006 .


This is a millennium scientific computer game in which email addresses were used. It is a promotional program aimed at encouraging internet users; therefore you do not need to buy ticket to enter for it.


Your email address attached to ticket star number:712-430-11-18 with serial number IV 241872 drew the EUROMILLION lucky numbers 701-9211-511which consequently won the draw in the Second category. You have been approve for the star prize of 5.500,000.00 Euros.( FIVE MILLION FIVEHUNDRED THOUSAND EUROS ONLY)already insured in your favour.


This lottery program on computer is to help encourage the rapid use of microsoft wares and to enlighten and promote the wide spread usage of the internet within the global world,under the able sponsorship of microsoft ware wizard Bill Gates,Sultan of Brunei,together with the USA,AUSTRALIA& a few members of the EUROPEAN ECONOMIC STATES,


This is our second and last reminder to you with every believe that you received the last notification sent to you via the same email address last month as the management will not continue to send you another notice/reminder over your winning if you do not respond immediately to your claims.


Again note that all email address/names registered with different and various websites/pages in the internet were selected through a computerized ballot machine system from the internet,randomly drawn from over 100, 000.00 COMPANIES and 50,000,000.00 (INDIVIDUALSPRIVATE/PERSONAL) Email Addresses and names from all over the world,where your own EMAIL ADDRESS happens to have been luckily selected under the second category(B) to have attracted this winnings.


This promotional program takes place once in every two years in conjunction with international governmental policies under very strict regulatory laws within the world lottery association in the bid to strive towards a world without poverty in which every person can exercise his or her right to a life of dignity and to equally establish themselves and help create room for useful and gainful employment through the fund/prize you are been awarded.

CONGRATULATIONS !!!


You are advised to keep this winning very confidential until you receive your lump prize in your account or optional cheque issuance to you.


This is a protective measure to avoid double claiming by people you may tell as we have had cases like this before, please send your Full Name, Home and Office Tel & Fax Number, Mobile Tel Number and your winning ticket number, reference numbers and amount won information for processing of your winning fund to our registered claim agent in address below:

DR.RICHARD EDWARD
MAPFRE SECURITY COMPANY
CALLE DE FUENLABRADA 33,PISO NO6, 28935.
MADRID SPAIN
www.mapfre.es
TEL:0034-690-260-767 .
Email:mapfrecompymail@aim.com /mapfrecompany@myway.com


You can see below on the site of EURO MILLION LOTTERY OF Ms Richardson is Britain's first EuroMillions winner in 13 April, 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/tyne/3620497.stm and also the First UK win on Euro lottery draw in 2004

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3618667.stm


Remember, all winning must be claimed before and not later than two week from the day this notification was recived.


After this date all unclaimed funds stands the risk of being retrieved back into the treasury and perhaps included in the next stake.Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications always remember to quote your REFERENCE&BATCH NUMBERS in all correspondence to your nominated and acredited trustees claims agent and ensure to complywith every detailed directives.


Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.


Congratulations once more from our members of staff for having been a lucky winner in our international promotions program.


Note: Anybody under the age of 18is automatically disqualified.
Sincerely yours,
MAG ALICE WILLIAMS(Mrs).
Regional President/Lottery Coordinator.


CONFIDENTIALITY: This e-mail message is confidential and is intended only for the address of the email address holder who is to immediately report directly and only to the claims agent.Any unauthorized use or disclosure is strictly prohibited.


Disclosure of this e-mail to anyone other than the intended addressee does notconstitute waiver of privilege.

If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately and delete this.
Thank you for your cooperation

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