British Random Lotto - Gateway Financiers SCAM ripoff Winnipeg Manitoba Saskatchewan
Recieved a letter today telling me that I had won a portion of a british lotto. Stated that there were only 17 people that won part of this. There was a check enclosed that looks VERY official. It had a company name of "Air-x-changers" on it out of Oklahoma. The letter said to contact someone by the name of Julia Peters at 204-951-5032. Ms Peters apparently works at a company called Gateway Fianciers in Canada. In attempting to contact this woman I was sent to a mail box that was full.
I then searched the internet for the company named "Air-x-changers." Found out that they manufacture parts of some sort and figuered they would NOT be financing a lotto.
I called Air X Changers and was told that this is TOTAL fraud and they are investigating it. Had to fax the check and letter to them.
Be careful!!
Juliann
Valley View, Ohio
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Teresa
Adams,New York,
U.S.A.
british random lotto rip off
#2Consumer Suggestion
Sat, June 17, 2006
British lotto' letter too good to be true
Official says international scams becoming common
AVOIDING SWEEPSTAKES SCAMS
Here are some tips on how to avoid becoming a victim of fraudulent sweepstakes promotions:
* Always read the rules and odds.
* Always read the fine print.
* Never give out your credit card number, checking account number or Social Security number to a company you don't know.
* Never pay money up front. It is illegal for sweepstakes or prize promotions to require the consumer to make a purchase in order to collect a prize.
* Never call a 900 number or non-toll-free 800 number to collect a "prize."
* Never give in to a sweepstakes or prize promotion that asks you to "act immediately."
Source: New York State Attorney General's Office
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By AIMEE MILKS
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Stark received a letter from the "British Random Lotto" stating that she had won a million pounds just a few days ago.
But instead of a windfall, the letter was a scam. International lottery scams in particular aren't uncommon, and a lot of people have been receiving such letters, according to Assistant Attorney General Michael Danaher Jr. of the State Attorney General's Office in Binghamton.
"When you get something that says you won and you need the money, you wouldn't think it was a scam," said Stark, 45, of Johnson City. "You would actually think, 'yeah, I won this.' "
The letter Stark received explained how her name was randomly pulled from a computer database in London with hundreds of thousands of names from Asia, North America and Europe. To claim the winnings, all she had to do was deposit a check that was provided with the letter and send $2,830 of it to an agent in Canada as a clearance fee.
The lottery scam is an old one, but the newest thing includes a check with the congratulatory letter, according to Danaher. "It's evolved to a notice that says there are fees to pay, but they include a check to pay the fees with. Those who deposit the check will receive a provisional increase in their sum. And because they're honest people, probably send the amount asked for back because they think the check cleared," he said. "Then about five days later, the bank will inform them that the check bounced and will be asking for their money back."
According to the Federal Trade Commission, scam operators -- often based in Canada -- are using the telephone and direct mail to entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes foreign lotteries from as far away as Australia and Europe.
"They made it sound really good. ... I was fooled," Stark said. "The check had the watermarks and everything."
Stark said that she's never entered anything but the Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes, so she was a little suspicious and called the Attorney General's Office, which confirmed it was a scam.
"It can be any random lotto -- Spain, Canada. You should just throw the things away," Danaher said. "They could be coming from another country, trying to get personal information or money."
Katie Kelly, a spokeswoman with the Attorney General's Office in Albany, said people who receive letters like this should rip them up and throw them away.
"Bottom line is that you never pay money to get money. The New York state lotto, for example, takes all the fees off the top," Danaher said. "You don't get the money then have to send money back for the fees."
The FTC advises people to ignore all mail and phone solicitations for foreign lottery promotions.
If you receive what looks like lottery material from a foreign country, give it to your local postmaster, the FTC said.