I received a letter on Monday October 23 postmarked from Canada. It was from the Omega Lotto E-Payments Inc. Here is the letter (almost) verbatim. I left out my name and stuff but DO note the date on the letter against the date received.
October 9th
My Name
My Adress
My City, State and Zip
Re: award claim final notification
We are pleased to inform you through this letter, that our network system shows you as one of the lucky winners of unclaimed prize money in the amount of $50,000 USD. The system indicates that you were selected as a winner on the 2006 edition sweepstakes drawing.
All participants were selected through a computer ballot system from Readers Digest Publishers Clearing
House, Computer Games sweepstakes data base, which are from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, North
and South America, South Africa and Asia, as this is our International Promotions Program, that is
conducted monthly. CONGRATULATIONS!
Enclosed is a check of $2975 USD, {TWO THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DOLLARS} payable to you and must be deposited into your bank account immediately to pay for your processing fees and international taxes that is required to be paid before we can remit your remaining balance to you. This amount is an advance tax processing payment which will be deducted from total
winning sum with the balance paid out to you upon receiving your payment.
Your claim number is OMG-L12104136. We ask that you keep your claim number confidential secured till your claim has been properly processed and funds remitted to you as this is a part of our security protocol to avoid any DOUBLE CLAIMS.
ALL prize money must be claimed no later than October 30th at which any unclaimed funds shall be
forfeited. Please call your agent MR DAVID COHEN at 1-902-412-8818 upon receipt of this notification
for further instructions.
Code of business conduct and ethics. We have adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that covers all employees, directors and officers that relates to the honest and ethical conduct in all business dealings. Fair, accurate, timely understanding disclosures in all reports filed by us with or submitted to the internal revenue and compliance with applicable governmental rules and regulations, and avoidance of conflicts of interest.
We appreciate your business and strive to provide affordable, reliable and convenient claims service. Appropriate handling of these claim numbers will greatly minimize your exposure to fraudulent acts. Thank you for calling OMEGA LOTTO E-PAYMENT. We are a global marketing and technology leader in the lottery, pari-mutuel, and e-payment industries.
Yours Sincerely
Ronald Winston
DIRECTOR CLAIM MANAGEMENT
I did some online searches through consumer complaints, the FTC, and my search engine and found some interesting information.
The FTC did not have any references to Omega Lotto but it did mention this type of scam. If I had deposited the check, I would have then been instructed to send them a wire transfer or money order to cover the "processing payment." The check I deposited would have eventually bounced and I would have been liable for the $2975.00.
I found a direct reference to Omega Lotto at (ROR REDACTED LINK FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)
Or you can google scamvictimsunited and search Omega Lotto.
The person describes the letter and what happened when he deposited it and then found references to a scam. His bank had frozen his account.
If you receive this type if letter or anything like it. STOP! Do not passs go! DO NOT COLLECT whatever they are offering. It is a scam.
Jessica
Stonewall, Louisiana
U.S.A.
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