Complaint Review: Central Awards Distribution - Kansas City Kansas

It's a scam where someone gives you their name, then tells you that you can pay a $11.89 application fee ("Premium Offer Acquisition/Securement") to win $2,000,000.

This is a very clever scam; it looks official and also happened to arrive after I had entered the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes (since entry is free and I've confirmed that they're a legitimate organization). I highly suspect it's piggybacking off of PCH's mailing list because it somewhat resembles their documents, it only started arriving after I entered the PCH sweepstakes, and is also sent to me at almost the same frequency as PCH.

It also comes with a slip of paper with a lot of fine print about the "Grand Prize Sweepstakes XVII Official Rules" and even has the same disclaimer as PCH:

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASING DOES NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING, YOU HAVE NOT YET WON.

They really went out of their way to make this appear legitimate. Here's some of the opening text from this 2-page letter/form/authorization slip, typed as it appears on the document (except for the "[FIRST + LAST NAME]"):

My name is Guslav A. Cuguenin, and I am the Senior Review Officer for CENTRAL AWARD DISTRIBUTION, a certified prize number judging and declaration office located in KANSAS, CITY, KS, United States of America.

Please sit down and read carefully. It is my exceptional honor and pleasure to be the first behind the excitement of what I am about to tell you.

By virtue of this letter, Award Series  G4149 , conducted by CENTRAL AWARD DISTRIBUTION and under the authority and scrutiny of its corporate offices, is now official!

Pursuant, my job is indeed a happy one today, because the entry application process, once completed by you, will result in direct payment of AWARD FUNDS to YOU, AS WINNER, in the amount of * * * $2,000,000.00 Two Million Dollars, if you have and return the preselected winning number BY MAIL as required for CAD judges official clarification and input on record.

Subject to above statement, the winner option, once established/determined and decreed in finality, will be a guaranteed distribution of CASH FUNDS in federal currency from the following two choices:

OPTION 1: A thirty-year annuity payment consisting of annual BANK CHECKS of $66,666.66 apiece (covering 30 years) to total $2,000.000.00.

OPTION 2: A single, LUMP-SUM payout equaling $1,325,000.00.

So you understand clearly, our business practices demand the issuance of this official letter by mail only. Your reply must also be remitted to us by postal mail BEFORE the deadline to avoid penalty of eligibility nullification! (We caution and request that you honor a 7-day reply timeline.) A pre-addressed return envelope has been provided for you.

Award series program highlights include a value privilege option with acquisition to be discharged to you from our premium offer: allocation office.Award series of program highlights include a value privilege option with acquisition to be discharged to you from our premium offer: allocation office. The reservation and approval process has been -- COMPLETED AND CONFIRMED -- in your name for a special Beautiful Faceted Crystal Pendant. This exquisite pendant is held to you by a silver tone 18" chain strung through a very modern tubular bar above the stone. There is a required fee of $11.89 DUE for delivery if acquiring this reserved Premium Offer verified to you and must be paid directly to CENTRAL AWARD DISTRIBUTION.

Please remit the $11.89 in advance for the Premium Offer and enclose your cash, check or money order in the official reply envelope.

[FIRST + LAST NAME]: The instructions for your reply are provided on the bottom of the attached page for applicable completion. (Refer to STEP 1, STEP 2, and STEP 3 as indicated and please be punctual in your response!)

I am at liberty to tell you pending a potential winning entry declaration, the award funds(maximum installments totaling $2 million or an alternate lump sum $1,000,325) maybe electronically why) May be electronically wired anywhere in the world. No surcharges or commissions are imposed as a condition of funds excepted, and there are no taxes withheld.

As a matter of conclusion, let me wish you, personally, all the best!

In sincerity,

Guslav U Cuguenin

[End of excerpt]

It's quite insidious, really.