A reader sent me a series of emails she has exchanged with a scammer. I’ll let her tell the story in her own words:
“a few days ago i received an email telling me i won 250.000 pounds and a toshiba laptop. i figured it was a scam and i sent them the required info just name and adress, email and cell #. to see how they would play their game, then i got an email saying i need to send money for the delivery company to deliver my winnings. there were three options, ranging from over $1.000.00 for same day delivery and the cheaperst one for 3 to 4 day delivery for 652.00. Today I received an email telling me basically to hurry up and send the money. i replied with an email telling them i am flat broke and that they should deduct the delivery expenses from my winnings and send the rest. I am going to email you that letter attached and anything else i can attach from them. They are slick but not slick enough. I want these people to get caught. it’s the second time there has been an attempt to scam me. i play along and then when i let them know i am on to them or I won’t send money they disappear for ever. i will attach the emails in hope you can track them down or perhaps you can give me some info on how to track them.”
I wish I could help her track the scammer, but I can’t. All I can do is publish the emails here in the hope that it will warn other potential victims.
She replied to the first email, telling her about her win – and receive this from the scammers:
“TAGGED PROMOTION 2009/2010
ORGANIZED BY MICROSOFT
CORPORATIONS:
LINK: http://www.tagged.com
2009/2010 PROMOTION
Good to hear from you regarding the TAGGED PROMOTIONS. My names are Mr.Paul Owen. I am the Tagged Cash Officer assigned to winners on the Tagged Sweepstakes Promotion organized by Microsoft Corporations you are one of our lucky winners that was why you receive the message notification.
In line with the commemorating event marking our 1st anniversary we rolled out over £1,000.000.00 (One Million Great Britain Pounds) for our 1st Anniversary Draws. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn for 10 tagged online dating users all over the world ( Australia , New Zealand , North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa) as part of International Promotions Program, which is conducted annually in Britain , London .
To begin the verification process of your prize, you are required to fill and send the claims form below.
| Section A
**Personal |
|
| Prefix (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., etc.): | |
| First name: | |
| Middle name: | |
| Last name: | |
| Date of birth (yyyy-mm-dd): | |
| Gender: | Male Female |
| Occupation: | |
| Address: | |
| City/State/Province: | |
| Country: | |
| Section B
**Winning Information |
|
| Batch Number: | |
| Reference Number: | |
| Amount won (in figure) | £ |
| Package won:
|
|
| Section C
**Internet |
|
| Contact email address(s)
Phone Number: |
1. 2. |
| Internet connection: | Home Work Public |
I wish to on behalf of all members and staff of TAGGED PROMOTIONS congratulate you on your win and wish you the best of luck as you spend your good fortune.
Thank you for being part of our commemorative 1st Anniversary Draws.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Paul Owen.
Tel: +44 703 5916 314
She filled in the form and the scammer then started telling her she would be asked for money:
TAGEED PROMOTION 2009/2010
ORGANIZED BY MICROSOFT
CORPORATIONS:
Link: www.tagged.com
Dear:My Reader’s Name
We the management of the Tagged Promotion congratulates you once again. Your filled verification form has been verified and your winning has been processed, the management derived an alternative for winners via Courier Delivery Services, you have to contact the Courier Delivery Service.
Contact Courier with the address below:
Corporate Communications Worldwide Express.
Address: Citypoint, One Ropemaker Street , LONDON , Greater London , EC2Y 9AW
Phone: +44-701-119-8205
Email: corporate.express123@deliveryman.com
:corporate.express123@liv.co.uk
NOTE: Winners are responsible for the Courier Charges.
Regards,
Mr.Paul Owen.
Having told her to contact the courier, the scammer (posing as the courier company) started telling her how much money to send.
Corporate Communications Worldwide Express.
Dear:My Reader’s Name,
We the management of corporate communications world wide express. We have verified your package with the Tagged Promotion officials and all documents, Your Cheque of £250,000.00 pounds (Two Hundred and Fifty Thousand Pounds) Toshiba Laptop and your Winning Certificate has been given to us by the officials of Tagged Promotion and we want you to know that we can deliver your package to you at your destination.
We have three options for winners to claim there prize.
Insurance………………………………… .£350.00
Administrative Charges……………..£025.00
Total Cost…………………………………£655.00 GBP=$1,081.21 USD
Length of Days………………………….24Hrs
Order Number…………………….MO35468UK
OPTION TWO (2-3 DAYS DELIVERY)
Insurance………………………………….£240.00
Admin istrative Charges……………..£025.00
Total Cost…………………………………£475.00 GBP=$784.082USD
Length of Days………………………Two-Three Days
Order Number……………………..MO35468UK
Insurance………………………………….£230.00
Admin istrative Charges……………..£025.00
Total Cost…………………………………£395.00 GBP=$652.026 USD
Length of Days………………………Three-Four Days
Order Number……………………..MO35468UK
Regards,
My reader decided to stop communicating with the scammer and started receiving emails asking her when she was going to pay:
“Good day to you and how are you doing? i just receive a call from the Corporate Communications Worldwide Express. from Barry Wood and he told me that you have not contacted him for the delivery of your winnings, please do contact him and act fast.
Mr.Paul.
And then this one:
Dear:My Reader’s Name
This is Mr Paul Owen poke on the phone today, i just want to inform you that we received a confirmation from corporate communications world wide express that they have not heard from you after they gave you the cost of shipping your prize winning and also your Toshiba Laptop to you.
You are advice to get back to them ASAP in other for them to speed up the delivery of your prize winning.
Note: You have only 2 orking days to claim your prize winning from them or it will be sent back to us for you to come over to our office to claim it yourself.
Once again Congratulations.”
WILL appriciate very much you assitance in the above wish its true
Dear Mrs Rose ,
would appricaite very much if you may confim the attched pach.
thanking you for your assistance in this matter.
Adel Ahmed Ramadan
I recieved a message verry much simmilar as the published one above.
Indeed, considering it would be a scam, I only have sended an email back claiming my “prize”.
No further reactions until this moment but as it looks now, I was right and it is a scam.
What a shame: I could have used the money verry well.
If somethin happends, I will keep you informed.
Nico
hi Mrs Rose, I have ecived a lot of phone calls from DR. WILFRED ANDERSON, saying that I won 2500000GBP from Tagged annual draw. After sending the courier money he came back and told me the money cannot be sent because I need a certificate from the UN money laudering and drug abuse. So after getting my money for 250GBP. i THINK YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW ALL THIS BEFORE WE SEND OUT MONEY FIRST. SO I RELIASED THAT I BEEN HAD AND SCAMMED.
Hi Mrs Rose, today 08022010 i received another winning:
Date:Monday, 8 February, 2010 10:56:52 AM
Subject:File Your Claim
Message:
CONGRATULATION!!!
Your Tagged User Name has been selected among the 50 Lucky Winners in the Tagged 2010 Profile Promotion of which your profile has won you the grand sum of £1,000,000 British Pounds Sterling.
You are advice to contact the Claims Manager with email bellow:
Name: Mrs Cynthia Young
E-mail: tagclaimservice@live.com
Congratulations once again from all members of our staff and thanks for being a member of tagg.com
Yours faithfully,
Mrs.Susi Cristoph
Promotions Manager.
PLEASE ADVICE IS THIS A SCAM TOO.
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i am still getting alot of calles to recive my prize some times they call from UK no code 0044some times they call from country code 00234 i found its nigeria code and they ask me to call back . i never call as am sure now is scam so be all carefull no one this dayes give money for no good reason ,and if its 25000 GBP MIGHT BE RESONABLE to attract but such a huge amount lol is a scam
Ismail – Please read the paragraph in BOLD TYPE at the top of EVERY PAGE of this site.
please give the answer if it is true or false,. thanks ,.
Carlos – Please read the paragraph in BOLD TYPE at the top of EVERY PAGE of this site.
Quiero saber si es sierto que he ganado el premio de 565.000libras esterlinas
he recibido un correo de citycyclecurieservice 1Cyahoo.co.uk, donde me informan que me gane 50.000,00 Libras Esterlina y una Laptop, tengo que pagar Bs. 838.439 y me entregan mi premio en dos dias, les pregunte que si no podia ser contrareembolso, entregando y pagando pero no pueden hacerlo, tengo que responder pronto
Can i trust this guy from united nation came from complainbord.com,he say he once off the specialinvestigation officer(un)was send me email.
27 St John’s Lane, London EC1M 4BU +447045797453
Agil Ariffin,
Please kindly find the complet address belwo to send via western union
NAME: ……….JAMES SCOTT
ADDRESS:……….27 St John’s Lane,LONDON-ENGLAND
AMOUNT:…..$200
Let me have the below details as soon as you finish sending the fees,..
SENDER FULL NAME
SENDER COUNTRY:
MTCN NO:
Try and send it as soon as possible so that the paying bank can effect the dispatch of your lottery check.and please dont forget to send your safe and secured home address where it will be delivered to in 2 business days after payment confirmation
Yours In Service
Rasim Mohamed (esq).
i recd e-mail that you won e-mail tagged promotion lottery euro 375,000.00 my e-mail address (removed) after my reply
they want fund transfer charges 550 us dollers
within 24 hrs so what i can do pl help me
i recieved a email from a so called tagged manager sayin i have won 565,000.00 great British pounds but to claim this i need to go to Malaysia to claim is this a scam.
Lovena – Please read the paragraph in BOLD TYPE at the top of EVERY PAGE of this site.
I WANT KNOW I WON ANY TAGGED PROMOTION 2009 2010 LOTTERY
PL INFORMATION TO ME URGENTLY
Waseeem – Please read the paragraph in BOLD TYPE at the top of EVERY PAGE of this site
Hello readers,
I received a similar email first from Mrs Rose Andersen breaking me the news of TAGGED PROMOTION2010 lucky winner draw and asking me to contact Mr Paul Owen, cash officer. when I contacted him and asked about the confirmation of the news. He asked me to fill up a form to reclaim my cash prize and Toshiba laptop. He then advised me to contact the courier service. They came up with three payment options. What I guessed from the whole coprrespondance was i) they are closely linked to interrefernces about shared messages; ii) their English language was very approximative ( I mean poor) as there are spelling, structural mistakes in their messages. Besides, I have an inner feeling (what you can label as ’shrewdness’)that It coould be a scam. Mr Paul Owen’s message still lies in my mail box saying that he is waiting for my response. Beware! Readers, making someone pay his / her hard earned $1000 is depriving of him / her some time his life as the person may loose his life in grief.
Luckily for myself and unluckily for Mrs Rose Andersen, Mr Paul Owen and Mr Barry Wood (as these lucky lotery scammers claim their identity in these names), I decided to confirm the veracity of their business and got the truth through GOOGLE. It’s great. The technology has enabled me (us) to save myself from being scammed by these international crooks. I thank you all. Fayyaz Muhammad Mian.