| Author |
 Topic  |
|
frankb
Starting Member
Canada
3 Posts |
 Posted - 01/20/2004 : 08:45:34
I received an email subject: "Notification of Unclaimed Parcel" claiming I've won a 61" Sony Projection TV. Advising shipping is paid by Shipper.But, they ask for $31.95 US dollars for a release fee?? To be paid by Visa or cheque sent to IMAC, Hicksville, NY. PlasmaNet Inc. PO Box 4562, Grand Central Station, NY is also mentioned. Does anyone have any information on this organization? Also, I live in Canada and do not know what US duty I have to pay on free lottos? Thank for any info you can give me, Frank B. |
Spud
Administrator
Canada
284 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 09:32:50
Sounds like a scam to me... anybody that requires you to send money prior to claiming a prize is a fraud.To be sure, forward that email directly to a known email address on the freelotto.com website. Let them tell you if the claim is valid. Try answers@freelotto.com - this is their help-related email address. 99.9% chances are it's a fraud. Spud P.S. This sounds like it'll be another good scam/fraud related topic. Lots of people must be receiving these emails as there are increased hits to the forums lately from keywords like 'freelotto scam' etc. P.P.S. Please post their response in this forum for others to read. Thanks! |
jd3
Moderator
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 09:38:54
It's most definitely a fraud. NO legit business holds a contest and makes you pay an upfront fee to get it. No way this isn't a scam.
|
jd3
Moderator
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 09:39:48
Also, welcome to LottaLottos, Frank! 
|
ErikAlbert
Moderator
Belgium
542 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 11:23:52
frankb,
First of all welcome to LottaLottos.
I agree with Spud and jd3. ALWAYS get very suspicious, when emails ask for money. Those cheaters are artists in imitating official emails and they know how to write them.
|
jd3
Moderator
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 11:47:51
And think about it. They harvest thousands upon thousands of email addresses and send that garbage to ALL of them. A VERY small percentage is all they need to actually send the money and they get a very nice payoff. They see us as idiots and easy prey when they send that garbage. Luckily some, like you are smart enough to question and get answers from people in the know. My advice, NEVER, under ANY circumstances pay up front for a prize, NEVER!
|
mjp65
Junior Member
USA
88 Posts |
Posted - 01/20/2004 : 12:55:06
yes, i've heard many many times of people having to send money to claim a "prize" they have won. everytime, it is a scam. my father "won" a cruise and sent $20 to claim it. soon as he got home, he turned on tv to a news story saying if u get this post card claiming u have won a cruise, DONT send money. even the offers that are not actual criminal offenses, often ask you to pay inflated postage and handling that cost more than the value of your FREE gift/prize. Iwon.com is not a fraud, but they are famous for their crappy free gift offer. i have won several prizes on line, never have i had to pay a dime, not even postage, to recieve my prize. Michael Paluch |
jd3
Moderator
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2004 : 15:24:31
There's gonna be a story on my local news in a couple minutes about "a man sends thousands of dollars for a lottery prize that doesnt exist". There was one like this on another channel not long ago too. Apparently this stuff is growing more and more widespread. I heard, years ago, about not sending ANYTHING, I thought it was bad then, apparently worse now. Be careful, everybody.
|
JeanMi
Moderator
France
192 Posts |
Posted - 01/21/2004 : 17:10:51
I have just received one of this emails.First, this appear to me as a fraud. Asking money before sending a prize is illegal in Europe and in the US. Second, PlasmaNet/FreeLotto is not the originator of the fraud. They have only been paid by someone to send this publicity to all their registered players.
|
ErikAlbert
Moderator
Belgium
542 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2004 : 01:11:21
Yes I received the same email also today. I quote a part of this nonsense :"You have been pre-assigned a parcel containing a SONY 61" PROJECTION TV or a bank cheque for USD $2,741.88 made payable to you, or other merchandise item (confirmed; see inventory document, below).
THIS IS NOT A PRIZE DRAW. Your pre-assigned merchandise item is part of an international marketing campaign to promote certain consumer products. You are guaranteed to receive one of the merchandise items listed below, subject to all terms and conditions posted herein.
IMPORTANT: Your parcel is UNCLAIMED and stored in our warehouse facility. If you do not claim it within 40 days, you will forfeit the contents.
To release your parcel for delivery to your home address, you must complete the Warehouse Release & Shipping Request by clicking the link to Submit your request to International Merchandise Awards Center. All shipping and tariff charges will be paid by the sponsor. But you must remit a Release Fee of USD $31.95, payable by credit card.
Include this USD $31.95 fee with your completed Warehouse Release & Shipping " The trouble is I have already a TV  So this is my answer to them.
Hello, Thank you for this pleasant surprise, but I already have a TV. So I prefer the cash price.
Send me a personal check of $2,709.93 (= $2,741.88 minus $31,95) to my postal address as quick as possible. Sincerely,
Erik Edited by - ErikAlbert on 01/22/2004 07:09:24 Edited by - ErikAlbert on 01/22/2004 07:28:37 |
frankb
Starting Member
Canada
3 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2004 : 10:44:15
quote:
Hi Erik: You have received exactly the same email I did in Canada. I am going to report this to the Canadian Better Business Bureau and any organization that is interested. It looks like this is a scam. Thanks for replying, Frank.
Yes I received the same email also today. I quote a part of this nonsense :
"You have been pre-assigned a parcel containing a SONY 61" PROJECTION TV or a bank cheque for USD $2,741.88 made payable to you, or other merchandise item (confirmed; see inventory document, below).
THIS IS NOT A PRIZE DRAW. Your pre-assigned merchandise item is part of an international marketing campaign to promote certain consumer products. You are guaranteed to receive one of the merchandise items listed below, subject to all terms and conditions posted herein.
IMPORTANT: Your parcel is UNCLAIMED and stored in our warehouse facility. If you do not claim it within 40 days, you will forfeit the contents.
To release your parcel for delivery to your home address, you must complete the Warehouse Release & Shipping Request by clicking the link to Submit your request to International Merchandise Awards Center. All shipping and tariff charges will be paid by the sponsor. But you must remit a Release Fee of USD $31.95, payable by credit card.
Include this USD $31.95 fee with your completed Warehouse Release & Shipping " The trouble is I have already a TV So this is my answer to them.
Hello, Thank you for this pleasant surprise, but I already have a TV. So I prefer the cash price.
Send me a personal check of $2,709.93 (= $2,741.88 minus $31,95) to my postal address as quick as possible. Sincerely,
Erik Edited by - ErikAlbert on 01/22/2004 07:09:24 Edited by - ErikAlbert on 01/22/2004 07:28:37
|
ErikAlbert
Moderator
Belgium
542 Posts |
Posted - 01/22/2004 : 11:54:51
frankb,
I'm not surprised by this. Alot of people must have received this message.
Do whatever you can to stop this fraud.We players have to stick together and exchange info about Free Lottos, good or bad. You will learn and get help from us and we will learn and get help from you. Stay with us, because LottaLottos is going to change alot in the next years.
|
hape
Starting Member
Germany
1 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2004 : 06:11:57
Received same email and took a close look.
It is a sort of very refined and most likely legal 'scam'
They do not say a prize was won, they speak of a promotion
They do not say you get a TV, they only say you get ONE of the things listed ( see Terms and conditions )
Among great products they have also listed a necklace ( which is available for a couple of $ when bought in quantities)
So if they get $ 31 and send out a necklace for lets say 3 $ plus $ 5 airmail, it is still a great profit ( just think of a thousand people getting greedy and shutting down their brain.... and the higher quantity producte have not been claimed In a legal case it would be hard to prove anything else Sincerely Helmut
|
jd3
Moderator
USA
440 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2004 : 06:33:10
Good point, hape. And welcome to LottaLottos!
|
ErikAlbert
Moderator
Belgium
542 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2004 : 10:42:17
I still didn't receive my personal check of $2,709.93 and where is my necklace ?
|
DesertRat
New Member
USA
33 Posts |
Posted - 01/23/2004 : 19:50:40
For about 2 years now I have been receiving this email from Freelotto stating that I have won $5000.00 in their Click-To-Win game and I will forfiet my winnings if I do not claim them immediately. First of all, I have never played the Click-To-Win game so how could I have won anything and second of all, it makes me laugh to think that anyone, let alone a free internet lottery would continue for such a period of time trying to give me or anyone else $5000.00 in winnings. I have always been curious though, just how much would it cost me to claim this $5000.00. What a joke.D'Rat |
freelotto.com
