Fake Lottery E-mail Cons CNMI Resident

A resident of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), Mariana Islands, USA, lately talked with the Attorney General's Office (AGO) following a lottery scam that victimized him online, published mvariety.com dated March 13, 2012.

Actually, an uninvited electronic mail came into his inbox which stated that he was the 2nd winner of a lottery draw; however, for getting the prize-money he required depositing fees upfront for the processing and taxes related to the winning amount.

The resident, believing the e-mail wired $800 that actually ended up with him getting victimized, as the lottery was a fake. Nevertheless, on contacting the AGO, the officials referred the case for investigation to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation).

Citing this incident, the AG's officials remarked that during the ongoing precarious economic situation, there was a tendency for people to regard the above kind of scam solicitations like miracles for solving the problems confronting them. Moreover, the scams enticed them into a false feeling that they were secured as the scammers pretended to be representatives of renowned organizations like Microsoft, Google, MasterCard, Facebook, etc.

Disturbingly, the incidences outlined that lottery frauds through e-mails hadn't subsided and that they periodically emerged to make someone or another victim.

The officials explain that the scams' mode-of-operation involves potential victims getting an e-mail that informs them winner of one prominent prize from certain sweepstake, like within the above-mentioned instance. But, for claiming the winnings, those so-called winners (e-mail recipients) must pay processing fees and taxes, the email states just as the one that instructed the CNMI individual to wire $800.

Nonetheless, people can avoid these lottery e-mail frauds, state the officials who suggest a few simple tips. These are: anyone receiving an e-mail announcing him as a prize-winner for a lottery he didn't participate in should know it's a scam. Further, any lawful lottery agency won't ever ask for advance fees like during the CNMI event.

Additionally, incase an Internet-user thinks he's recipient of a fake lottery e-mail, alternatively he unwittingly wired fund to a bogus sweepstake company then he should notify the scam at www.IC3.gov of the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Related article: Fake Spam Mail Announces Australian PM’s Heart Attack

» SPAMfighter News - 3/20/2012