Euromillones Loteria International S.A. Not sending promised refund, Ripoff Madrid Spain
I was send a letter stating that I was a winner of the Euromillones Sweepstakes for US$815,960.00 in cash. My Ref. NO was: EGS/2551256003/06.
To receive the winnings I was to contact Mr.Max Lopez, Foreign Operations Manager of Euro Star Agency. I faxed the appropriate information to Euro Star Agency and was sent a few weeks later two checks by the agency for a total of $1900.00 to cover processing costs. This money was to be cashed and wire-transfered to Felix Chafles in Madrid Spain.
I had received the money and deposited it into my account. After a few days the checks were cancelled.I was advised this was done because I took too long to send the money. (I thought this was a fair and honest call since they did not want to just give me $1900.00 dollars.)
I then proceded to send my own money of $1900.00 to them to Felix Chafles in Madrid Spain by Wire transfer. Now I was told by Mr.William Mendez that the company needed more money to cover commission costs adn that I needed to send around $4,000 dollars to help pay the costs in order to received my winnings.
At this point I advised them I could not afford this and needed a refund of the money I had sent them. I was told by Mr. William Mendez that it would be looked into. I was told in one email that it would be taken care of in two weeks, after two weeks passed I was told again by email that it was still being looked into, mind you now it has been 7 weeks.
The last email I received I was told that it would taken care of by the end of the week. I have constantly been emailing him several times daily and just keep getting the run around. I also sent an email about this to Mr.Max Lopez and received no response.
Several companies have now been contacted about them:
*The State Corporation Commission:
Direccion General de befensi de la Competencia
*The Akron Better Business Bureau
*Alternative News Network
*Lottery International Scams
I am in desperate need of this $1900.00 back and hopefully will receive it.
Lisa
Grafton, Wisconsin
U.S.A.
1 Updates & Rebuttals
Dave
New Westminster,British Columbia,
Canada
Don't send another penny
#2Consumer Suggestion
Mon, October 02, 2006
You should add the FTC to your list of places to register a complaint.
The Euromillones web-site warns against the exact scam that seems to have befallen you.
My Spanish is "Dora-learned" but Babelfish was able to translate into pidgeon-english.
In order to commit the swindle, the generally followed procedure consists of announcing the potential victim who has been attractive with a numerous prize (although some has not participated in drawing), although will not be able to receive this prize until an extreme one has paid in advance destined to the banking taxes, expenses, expenses of shipment or transaction of insurance, etc. Habitually, the swindler notices his potential victim that the term to pay those loads is very brief and that is on the verge of expiring its right to the collection of the prize.
The prizes of the Spanish Lottery always are duty free and burdens, and the Spanish Police already has stopped and put to judicial disposition to some members of bands that acted from the national territory.