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Did you really win the WINX Lotto Promotion International? Sorry, not this time!
Topic of the Week
Beware of yet another email Promotion Scam
An email with the subject Lotto.nl International Promotions is making it's way through the email world.
The email says the recipient has made it through the 'First Category' and the official announcement is coming August 20th. It includes the ticket number and a bunch of other 'stuff' that makes it all look very official. Unfortunately, SecurePCNews.com must have gotten an 'test' copy of this scam, because part of the email was missing. You can be sure, though, that the full version is on its way to inboxes around the world.
If you visit SecurePCNews.com regularly you are already guessing that this is a yet another example of a common scam. Don't phone your boss yet to quit just yet. You, unfortunately, didn't just win a Lottery. Rather you were just randomly targeted for a common scam that will lead at a minimum to a new case of Identify Theft.
Scams like this are common. Check out the BMW promotion scam SecurePCNews.com reviewed recently. Similar emails declare that you have won a computer, a car or even an inheritance.
How do you know this is a Scam?
Here are some simple things you can look for when you receive any email that seems too good to be true.
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Is it too good to be true? What are the odds that you were randomly chosen to win a Loto? Unfortunately the odds are slim that you've won anything but a scam attempt.
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Did you enter the promotion? It's unlikely that you won an international Lotto even if you'd actually entered the contest.
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Does the email look 'legitimate?' While even an 'official' looking email can be fake, there are some great tell-tell signs you can look for.
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What is the return email address? It should be to a domain you can confirm belongs to the company you think you are dealing with. Remember that even a 'real-looking' email address can be 'spoofed.' That means even though the address 'looks' legitimate, the address under the covers could be fake.
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What information do they want you to provide? A legitimate sweepstakes will likely already have your information. The fraudster wants you to give them personal details so they can commit fraud against you.
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How well formatted is the email? Does the email look like something you would expect to receive from a huge company? The Lotto email is poorly formatted, has no logos or other identifying features. Would an internal Lotto really send out an email that looked like this? Nope. BE CAREFUL! Remember, even an email that looks 'official' may be fake. Always check the other signs before deciding this is legitimate.
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Do you need to provide any money? You may be asked to cover 'shipping,' or 'wire transfer fees.' If you really won a Lotto you won't be asked to pay anything. Even giving your account number to accept a deposit opens you to account fraud. Contact your financial institution or law enforcement before giving out your bank/credit/investment information.
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So what do I do now?
The smartest thing to do is simply hit delete! Any other follow-up could lead to the theft of your identify. Even clicking links included in the email could expose you to viruses, spyware or other nasty impositions. You may also consider notifying your local law enforcement agency.
If you you really, really, really want to quit your job because you just hit the Lotto Jackpot and really, really, really think you actually won a drawing that you didn't enter you can take steps to protect yourself.
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Confirm the Sweepstakes/Award/Lottery is legitimate through an independent source: For instance, if there was a real international Lotto, there would be a website or a 'real-world' way to confirm that you won. If you can't confirm it, it is probably fake.
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Don't give any personal information: Until you have absolutely, without a doubt, for sure confirmed this is a legitimate deal, don't give any personal information. You would be surprised at how valuable even your name is to a criminal. Remember, a legitimate promotion would already have your information so they wouldn't have to ask for it. Even if you are comfortable giving some information, only give the details that are absolutely required. For instance, don't give your account numbers (even to pay for 'shipping' or a 'transfer fee.')
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Visit SecurePCNews.com: Articles like 'Don't get hooked by a phisher' provide great tips on how to protect yourself from scams like this.
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Use your up-to-date anti-virus , anti-spyware and anti-phishing software: Scan the email and any attachments before clicking any links. Then scan you whole PC afterwards to see what may have been downloaded that you didn't notice. BE CAREFUL! Even clicking the links can be very dangerous. If you do this, you are likely to get an unwanted surprise.
Learn More about Internet Scams
Visit these links to learn more about internet scams.
| US Federal Trade Commission facts for consumers on a range of internet fraud topics | |
| MillerSmiles |
UK organization that tracks the latest phishing and internet fraud attacks and provides helpful resources |
