Elgodor Lottery Primitiva S.a. Sent me a letter advising that I won 615,810 USD Madrid Other
The letter received advised that I should call my agent Anthonio Blasco (phone no. & fax no. given). There was also a form to fill in to fax to Blasco, along with my birth certificate. The form requested my bank information, but only if I wanted my money deposited directly. I chose "certified cheque" instead so I would not have to give my bank information.
I faxed the information requested and called Blasco later to confirm that he had received my fax. He said he did and now I should contact the lottery to confirm my winnings. Everyone I spoke to were quite professional, asking for my Ref. and Batch numbers and confirming my name and address, etc.
I called the number that Blasco gave me and the person there told me I would have to submit some $1500 in order to have my cheque sent. I called Blasco back with this information, telling him there's no way I was going to send any money when I had no way of confirming that this was not a scam. He said he'd call the bank to find out what they needed and would call me back.
That was only this morning and I'm still waiting.
Marge
St. Catharines, Ontario
Canada
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Juliet
Birmingham,Alabama,
U.S.A.
If you faxed a copy of your birth certificate, you may need legal help immediately
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, November 23, 2006
Marge writes:
There was also a form to fill in to fax to Blasco, along with my birth certificate. The form requested my bank information, but only if I wanted my money deposited directly. I chose "certified cheque" instead so I would not have to give my bank information.
I faxed the information requested
Marge, it isn't clear if you faxed a copy of your birth certificate, although it would seem that you did. If you did, you absolutely need to contact a lawyer in some form or another IMMEDIATELY.
I am not certain how bad the results may be of faxing a copy of your birth certificate, but for the sophisticated scammer, the first step in assuming another person's identity is always to get a copy of a birth certificate. Being that these people very likely are scammers, it's scary that they are even ASKING for your birth certificate.
I have never been asked for my birth certificate except for getting married, and leaving the U.S. for a trip. I may well be forgetting other times, but it has always been a governmental/institutional agency asking for it, never, ever any kind of financial services company, or anyone else.
For scammers wishing to assume someone else's identity, the scammer usually obtains the birth certificate of a child who died at young age. Being that you are alive, and undoubtedly have some sort of financial life going on, it is really scary to think of what a scammer might be able to do with your birth certificate information, even if it's a faxed copy.
For one thing, they know your mother's maiden name, plus the location of your birth, not to mention the obvious fact of your full birth name and birthdate. A security question that I haven't seen a LOT of, but have seen, asks for your father's name, or father's first name and middle name.
I am so sorry if I'm jumping the gun, and there's not actually anything to be afraid of. But when identity theft occurs so easily in the U.S. by obtaining peoples social security numbers, birth information, and especially the so common mother's maiden name - really concerned you may need some legal help if someone has a copy of your birth certificate.
I sincerely hope I'm over-reacting, but just really concerned about the possible outcomes. Wishing you all the best.
Dave
New Westminster,British Columbia,
Canada
My guess
#3Consumer Suggestion
Thu, November 23, 2006
"What they need" is probably going to be for you to pay the taxes. Fortunately, your agent will be able to negotiate with the lottery to release some of your "winnings" to you, via check drawn on a third party account. You are to use that to pay the taxes.
Probably by Western Union.
And that will be the last you ever hear FROM them.
The third party will return the check as stolen, forged, fraudulent, and you'll be responsible for paying the money back or being prosecuted for passing a bad check.
Just my guess.