I received a letter today (excerpted below)... Exact matches to identifying numbers in letters others have received tells me this is a fraud.
Date: 30/10
From: The Desk Of The Vice President
International Promotions/Prize Award Dept
Ref No: EPT/2551256005/05
Batch No: 14/0117/IPD
Attn: Beneficiary
Re: award notification final notice
We are pleased to inform you of the release of the results of the EUROMILLONES SWEEPSTAKE LOTTERY/INTERNATIONAL PROGRAM held on the 14th OF October. 2006. Due to mix up of numbers and addresses, the results were released on the 27th OF October.
Your name attached to ticket number 031-1127-841 with serial number 3214-07 drew the lucky numbers of 09-22-37-39-41-49 which consequently won in the 3rd category.
You have therefore been approved for a lump mpayout of US$615,810.00 (SIX HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED AND TEN DOLLARS ONLY.) in cash credited to file REF. No: ept/2551256005/05. This is from a total cash prize of US$10,468, 770.00 (TEN MILLION, FOUR HUNDRED AND SIX-EIGHT THOUSAND, SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY DOLLARS ONLY.) shared among the seventeen (17) international winners in this category.
Congratulations!!!
To begin your claim, please contact your claim agent, CLEMENT BLANCO Foreign Operations Manager, PERFECT MARK GLOBAL SECURITY S.A. Madrid. On TEL: 0113468 0261418 FAX: 0113466 0936286 for processing and remittance of your prize money to a designated bank account of your choice. Remember, all prize money must be claimed not later than 20th November. After this date all funds will be returned to the MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA Y HACIENDA as unclaimed. Also, for your information, 10% of your money belongs to your claim agent as a part of their commission. This commission will be paid to PERFECT MARK GLOBAL SECURITY S.A. Only after you have received your fund in your designated account.
Remember that payment processing form should be completely filled and send by Fax to 0113466 0936286.
Marc ellen qamacho
vice president
NOTES: Red Flag One... THIS is what set me off immediately:
The name of the "security company" is "PERFECT MARK"... Which would appear to be their way of poking fun at anyone who takes this letter seriously... A "perfect mark" being the best possible victim of a con game.
A SECOND red flag was the poor grammar with which this letter was written. Most Europeans who deal with English-speaking countries pride themselves on their solid command of our language... Usually better than those of us who claim it as out primary language.
FINALLY, when checking on line, I found that others had similar letters with IDENTICAL identifying information for the contest, the agency, and the security company (although the one who had "Vamanos Seguros" for security DID tickle my funnybone a little.)
Here follow the identifying information and numbers from the letter sent me. Check them against letters you may receive, either by post or via the internet.
Ref no: ept/2551256005/05
batch no: 14/0117/ipd
Lottery name: euromillones sweepstake lottery /
international program
lottery date: 14th of october. 2006
delay date: 27th of october
Ticket number: 031-1127-841
serial number: 3214-07
lucky numbers: 09-22-37-39-41-49
category: 3rd
Award payout: us$ 615,810.00
(six hundred and fifteen thousand eight
hundred and ten dollars only.)
file reference #: ept/2551256005/05
Total cash prize: us$ 10,468, 770.00
(ten million, four hundred and six-eight
thousand, seven hundred and seventy
dollars only.)
category winners: (17)
Claim agent: clement blanco
agent position: foreign operations manager
claim agency: perfect mark global security s.A.
Madrid.
Agency tel: 0113468 0261418
agency fax: 0113466 0936286
Claim deadline: 20th november
funds returned to: ministerio de economia y hacienda
Claim agent: perfect mark global security s.A.
Fax number: 0113466 0936286.
Sender: marc ellen qamacho
position: vice president
Again, note the grammatical errors, first in the way the total award is spelled out ("SIX-EIGHT" rather than SIXTY-EIGHT), and second in the reversal of the way that numbers are loisted digitally and in words... in keeping with the rest of the document, this should have been written: "the 17 (SEVENTEEN) international winners", NOT "the seventeen (17) international winners" as shown.
I hope this helps anyone who has the presence of mind to check before they leap.
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