Complaint Review: International Lotto Commission

My nephew's grandmother received an e-mail from International Lotto Commission, which was a lottery scam. She was told she had won a large sum of money as part of a prize pool shared by thirty-four other winners.

Her ticket was picked by a computer ballot system that sorted through shopping and travel receipts from 25,000 companies worldwide. The Director De La Lotteria explains there may have been a "mix-up" in numbers and names, so she is to keep her big win quiet as part of their "security protocol."

Once the claim is processed and monies deposited in an account of her choice, she can shout it to the world. She buys into the lottery scam, contacts a claim agent in Madrid,Spain via telephone, and wires money for taxes and processing fees. She also fills out a Claims Processing Application Form that supplies the Nigerian Money Mafia with enough personal information to siphon funds from her bank or savings account.

This lady lost thousands of dollars. She even traveled to Spain to try to collect winnings. This particular Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud targets senior citizens. And though the Loteria y Aquestas del Estade is for real, the seal on the scam e-mail is a fake.

It seems these individuals immigrate to large cities, like Madrid, where they can hide in plain sight, assume false citizenship, create bogus titles, use phony names and suck victims into a lie.

Our best defense is to be aware and beware. Go on-line and enter Nigerian Mafia into an internet search engine, click on the numerous links, and learn more about their many well-designed, seductive fraud schemes.

S.
Atascadero, California
U.S.A.