Yesterday my aunt comes over because she got some mail that was addressed to me. I open a envelope that had no return address on it and in there was a letter and a check. It said:
Attention: (my name here)
Final Notice of Winning
This is to remind you once again that you are one of the second category winners of the North American Sweepstakes program held on March 14th 2008. We have made unsuccessful attempts to contact you in order to process your winning.
A ticket with serial No. 674009. randomly posted on your name drew the lucky winning numbers. This entitles you to the sum of $250,000 (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars). Enclosed here is a check of $3,900.00 (US Dollars) which was deducted from your winnings. You are required to use some money from this check to pay government tax, and insurance, through Moneygram or Western Union. You will receive the tax/insurance information from your claims agent -(guy’s name here). The balance of your money will be delivered to you by FedEx.
All winnings must be claimed on or before June 11th, 2008 after this date, all unclaimed fund will be returned to Euro Sweepstakes account. Be sure to mention your claim # above in all correspondence. And for Security reasons, do not disclose your Claim Number to the public, to avoid and fraudulent practice.
You are to contact (guy’s name again) at this direct line -(phone number) as soon as you receive this letter to activate your check and for further clarification. Send your email to (email address) if the line is busy.
Congratulation!
Yours truly,
(signed name)
(woman’s name)
President
Now why would I need to call to get my check activated? Someone makes a check out to you and you cash it so how can a check get activated mmmm. Plus there was no return address at the top of the envelope and I did not remember entering any money sweepstakes. I do that all the time. I enter to win and I forget I even did it.
I show the letter to my aunt and she said it looked like a scam. Today I went to the bank after work and showed the bank teller the money and she nodded her head and said he was a scam but she couldn’t tell if the check was fake or not but she was guessing it was. She said you can’t win the lottery if you never entered, and she said other stuff I can’t remember right now. I do remember she said it was a international scam because of the name at the top of the letter. It said EuroMillones Award Presentation even though the address said Niagara Falls but no state abbreviation.
It was a good thing I got skeptical for these reasons:
The address on the letter was different than the address on the check
There was no return address
It said I had to call to activate the check which didn’t make sense
I had never heard of SunTrust bank
I didn’t remember entering any sweepstakes
But I always wonder how people get our names and address. These people were from Niagara Falls according to the letter but on the check it said they are in Florida.