BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: clansfolk
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 04:59 AM

Looks like it was a good idea not to cancel all me gigs and book a holiday - now I wonder if Martin have started that custom shop guitar I ordered???

Liz the Squeak - untouched by human hand - straight cut and paiste(sic)

Pete - still a poor old folk singer.

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: GUEST,Blind DRunk in Blind River
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 11:17 PM

Hell I'd go for it if I was'nt such a lousy shot...

- BDiBR

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 10:54 PM

Oh, the bodies... Mass graves all around the world. Not nice. On the other hand, what the hey, you only live once- count me in!

(How's that for a try to get inside a typical gambler's head?)

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 10:38 PM

No, no magazines! Like I said, it's absolutely FREE!!! You can't beat that for a chance at history's biggest jackpot, and just think...if you don't win you'll never know (at least according to those who think there's no afterlife) so what've you got to lose is the real question? It's all or nothing, folks! Go for broke!

It's still in the planning stages, SINSULL, but expect the TV ads to start sometime soon!

"SUDDEN DEATH LOTTERY!!! DO YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO PLAY AND RISK ALL??? JOE SIXPACK FROM SCHENECTADY DOES AND SO DOES HIS WIFE FLO AND HIS BROTHER DAVE!!! YES!!! SUDDEN DEATH LOTTERY!!! AVAILABLE SIMPLY BY CALLING THIS NUMBER: 1-800-YER-FUKT CALL NOW!!!"

By the way, we really should have referred to "the one idiot that wins" by non-gender-specific modifiers rather than saying "he" and "his". Please change those offensive words to "they" and "their" so that female players are not offended by being denied the possibility of themselves being that one idiot...

Gosh, we are sure sorry about that oversight, sisters, and it won't happen again!

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: SINSULL
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 09:44 PM

UHHHH Little Hawk....where do I sign up? Do I have to buy some magazines? I hope not. The postman is really touchy about the 30 or so per day I get now.

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Little Hawk
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 05:49 PM

I favour the concept of a "sudden death" lottery, to be held internationally. Anyone can enter once, absolutely free. After a period of one month, all the entrants are assembled on large vacant lots in a variety of locations all over the world. Everyone receives a single-shot pistol with one bullet in it. At 12 noon Greenwich time everyone places said pistol to the temple of the next contestant to the left and pulls the trigger upon signal given by presiding official judges. There will be one blank bullet issued at random in the entire world and all the rest will be real bullets. The one survivor who got fired at by the blank round wins the lottery, and receives all the monetary assets of all the other contestants, which should make for the biggest lottery prize in history! The mere size of the winnings will thus guarantee a huge turnout.

This would eliminate most of the really stupid, selfish, ruthless, and greedy people in the World (except for the one idiot that wins, and he would probably soon spend his way into some fatal situation) and the rest of us could get on with life in a sensible manner afterward, and hopefully dispense with lotteries entirely.

- LH

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Kim C
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:25 PM

I won $1.00 in the Kentucky lottery once.

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Bill D
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 03:34 PM

didn't I read about this in the famous book "Gullibles Travails"?

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 03:25 PM

I poked around that last site more, and here's the gist of this scam:
(comes from here).

As you may have read in my previous article ("What Would Bryan Boytano Do?") I was the "lucky" winner of an international lottery... well, now more people have been coming forth saying they got similar emails too.

Thanks to Google and a search for "Omega International Lottery" people have been flocking here looking for information.

So, I bring to you the steps of the scam (as observed by myself, others may vary...)

Step 1

This so called "Assistant 2000 Security Company" (from herin known as A2K) based out of the Netherlands sends you, the lucky winner an email stating that you've one 100,000 Euros. All you need to do is Call, or Fax a phone number based out of the Netherlands (country code 31).

Flaw #1: The email came from a "free" email account source.

I sent a fax to the number listed ([phone]) explaining that I wished to claim my prize and stated all the pertinant information listed in my "winning email".

Step 2

A2K then sent me a second email telling me that I would be receiving a third email with a "claim form" attached. This form was then supposed to be filled out and faxed back to the same number.

Flaw #2: The contact name from email 1 was spelled differently in email 2.
Flaw #3: They asked me to send them 150 EURO via Western Union to a person named "George Padmore Blay Minnah". If this was legit, the payment would be sent to the company, or they would have been able to garnish my so-called winnings for their processing fee(s).
Flaw #4: The email address listed in the second email didn't match the one the email was sent from.

I filled out the form and faxed it back, without payment. I added a note stating this:

Bearing the legitimate stature of your company, I'd have to believe that you are capable of remitting an invoice for the amount due for processing to myself. Being a business man myself, I can give my word that the invoice for any processing fees will be paid in full upon reciept of the due winnings, and your services completed in swift and proper form. Should I find you to be illegitimate, I shall report your company name, and activities to various authorities with western union inclusive. That, is my declaration.

Step 3

They've not made contact since. Thus, the so called "Omega International Lottery" is definitely a scam. There are too many holes. Although they make it look good, and real, it's not. So be cautious when you win*!

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 02:43 PM

You might want to take a look at this "Mail Archive" page. You'll find your exact letter in the middle of that page. And to confirm everyone's suspicions, here is some commentary at an aptly named web site: PileOfCrap.org. :)

SRS

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: smallpiper
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 12:31 PM

Its a scam (a version of the Nigerian one)ditch it!

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: artbrooks
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 08:50 AM

Have they asked for your bank account number yet, so that the money can be properly deposited?

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 08:49 AM

I surprised the email didn't begin "Once upon a time". Sure hope that you've got the lottery ticket, as well as what it'll cost you to claim your "prize."

Once upon a time, I won in the Publishers' Clearing House Sweepstakes, and THIS is not a tale. I was not notified by email, nor did the "Prize Patrol" come around to call. Instead I received notification -- and a check! which was good! -- in a registered letter. Now, before everyone starts contacting me about "good causes," I'll hasten to add that my wife had sent in my entry, which was one of the first 100 received from Indiana (where we were living), and that we spent the USD 50.00 on a nice dinner (and I still had to put money with it to cover the tip).

Legitimate contests don't charge you to collect your winnings. Honest brokers don't ask you for your bank account numbers and/or require you to visit Lagos.

If it seems to good to be true, it probably is. Don't look for the best of it. You can't cheat an honest man.

It's all good advice.

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Hrothgar
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 08:00 AM

As a statistics lecturer I had once said - if you do not have an entry in the lottery you have, statistically, almost exactly the same chance of winning as somebody who does have a ticket.

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: kendall
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 06:55 AM

The lottery is a tax on peole who don't do well in math. (Garrison Keillor)

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:56 AM

Very nice - is the misspelling of logistics yours or hers?

I feel the need for a large pinch of salt....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: MudGuard
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:56 AM

When you contact them, you will probably be asked to send a sum of xxx Euro for fees and stuff, otherwise they can't send you the money you have won...

And of course you will not get the money promised to you...

Subject: BS: I've won the lottery - wahoo
From: clansfolk
Date: 14 Jul 03 - 04:52 AM

Now is this a scam or am I rich????

         hope I don't have to share it with anyone......

email received.........

CIRCLE INTERNATIONAL EMAIL LOTTERY
FROM:INTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT
Ref. Number: OGS/2311786008/01
Batch Number: 14/011/IPD

RE:WINNING NOTIFICATION/FINAL NOTICE

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs held on the 1st January, 2003. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20511465886-629 with Serial Number 3772-99 Drew lucky numbers 7-14-17-23-31-44 which consequently Won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of 400,000 00{Euro}.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask that you keep your
winning information confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remiitted to you.This is part of our security protocol to aviod double claiming and unwarranted abuse of this program by some participants

All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from over 100,000 company and 50,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.This promotion program takes place every three years.We hope with part of your winning you will take part in our end of year 3 million Euro international lottery. To file for your claim, please contact our fidiciary agent MR Robert Tohan of the,

MIDWESTERN SECURITY COMPANY
TEL:[phone]
FAX:[phone]

Remember, all winnings must be claimed not later than 31st of July 2003.After this date all unclaimed funds will be included in the next stake.Please note ,in order to aviod unnecessary delays and complication remember to quote your ticket and batch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.
Congratulations once more from our members of staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.
Note:Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.

Yours sincerely,

MRS Evelyn Fowler,

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