The "Dutch Lottery" Scam

if they're so sophisticated - cyber lottery and all that - can't they just figure out where you are and mail you the check?

QuoteOriginally posted by: krif they're so sophisticated - cyber lottery and all that - can't they just figure out where you are and mail you the check?I'd just ask them to deduct the accounting/transfer/attorney fees from my winnings. I'd even throw in an extra 50%. HeheOnly fools fall for this BS.

One detail that has always intrigued me is how stupid these scams are. They are full of misspellings, bad grammar, absurd pseudo-legalisms and logical lapses. This was true long before the Internet.If I tried to do something like this, I think I could come up with a reasonably convincing scam. But I think that wouldn't work as well as the sloppy ones. I'm not sure exactly why, but I think a credible one invites suspicion, while a sloppy one begs you to fill in the gaps yourself. I think it's the same reason that UFO, ghost and Bigfoot photographs are always blurry and grainy. It would take no trouble to put a clear fake snapshot together, but people wouldn't peer and squint and convince themselves.Another possibility is the sloppy ones are harder to prosecute. People are more ashamed of being cheated by something that looks remarkably stupid after the fact, and the thing is so confusing it's hard to make a clear case about individual guilt.Or maybe, stupid calls out to stupid.

I got this one:----------------------------------------------------------MEGAFORTUNE LOTTERY INTERNATIONALINTERNATIONAL PROMOTION/PRIZE AWARD DEPT.REF: MLI/231-ILGI0431/03BATCH: IPD/15/096/PTNLRE: WINNING FINAL NOTIFICATIONSir/MadamWe are pleased to inform you of the result of theLottery WinnersInternational programs held on the17th of March 2004. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number 20711465897-6291 with serial number472-971102 drew lucky numbers 9-66-97-22-71-64 which consequently won in the 2nd category, you have therefore been approved for a lump sumpay out of US$ 1,000,000. (one millon United States Dollars)CONGRATULATIONS!!!Due to mix up of some numbers and names, we ask thatyou keep your winning information very confidentialtill your claims has been processed and your prize/money Remitted to you. This is part of our security protocolto avoid double claiming and unwarranted abuse ofthis program by some participants. All participants were selected through a computerballot system drawn from over 200,000.00 company and 300,000.00individual email addresses and names from all over the world. This promotional program takes place annually. We hope with part of yourwinning you will take part in our next year USD2 million ( Two Million United States dollars) international lottery. To file for your claim,please contact our appionted ADVOCATE Mr John Peters. MEGAFORTUNE LOTTERY INTERNATIONAL and they have been directed to make all payments to all the winners before the deadline which is 5th APRIL 2004TEL: +31-630-9265 32FAX: +31- 645 236 856Email: johnpeters3000@netscape.net with your telephone and especially your fax numbers so that they can send you the claims application form you(A4) which you fill out to expedite the transfer of your winnings to you the Beneficiary. Note that all winning must be claimed not later than5th of APRIL 2004. After this date all unclaimed,funds will be included in the next stake. Please note,in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complicationsplease remember to quote your reference number andbatch numbers in all correspondence. Furthermore,should there be any change of address do inform ouragent as soon as possible.Congratulations once more from our members of staffand thank you for being part of our promotional program. Note: Anybody under the age of 18 is automatically disqualified.Sincerely yours,Mrs. Ellen KloosLottery Coordinator.REPLY EMAIL TO johnpeters3000@netscape.net----------------------------------------------------I replied telling them there must be a mistake, I actually bought ticket 20711465897-6292. This information was not disputed. I was careful to remove my signature from the email....Here in darkest Africa we often get emails purporting to be from the brother/cousin/son of deposed dictators from a bit north of here, about how they would just love to use my bank account to wash a lot of ill gotten gains, and for this small inconvenience I will receive a non-trivial percentage cut of a very non-trivial amount.....

Greame:we get them too .... and most of them talk about some dictator of tunisia and how his widow would like to move all her money to my account

I have received something similar but it was from Spain! I deleted it without a second thought! So they think we are all idiots or were they hoping that one in a thousand would be stupid enough to respond?

I was especially impressed how they had recorded the number of participants accurate to 2 decimal places.

QuoteOriginally posted by: AaronOne detail that has always intrigued me is how stupid these scams are. They are full of misspellings, bad grammar, absurd pseudo-legalisms and logical lapses. This was true long before the Internet.Some of the Nigerian ones that I've received were quite well written

if you respond to that email, you'll get a phone call. the only thing you'll hear on the other line is the words 'seven days'. you'll be dead in seven days.

there was this nigerian email that got my name correct and i think that they are ppl with a lot of spare time. They actually found my name and contacted me: an international grad student

QuoteOriginally posted by: LongThetaQuoteOriginally posted by: AaronOne detail that has always intrigued me is how stupid these scams are. They are full of misspellings, bad grammar, absurd pseudo-legalisms and logical lapses. This was true long before the Internet.Some of the Nigerian ones that I've received were quite well written I think there is a template built into MS Word... look under nigerian scam

QuoteOriginally posted by: tabrisQuoteOriginally posted by: LongThetaQuoteOriginally posted by: AaronOne detail that has always intrigued me is how stupid these scams are. They are full of misspellings, bad grammar, absurd pseudo-legalisms and logical lapses. This was true long before the Internet.Some of the Nigerian ones that I've received were quite well written I think there is a template built into MS Word... look under nigerian scam I wonder what type of success ratio the scammers have with people they solicit. I realize that it's human nature to want a free lunch, but you have got to be some sort of dumb ass to fall for something like that now. These scams have been in the news for a solid year for shit's sake.

QuoteOriginally posted by: Beavis I wonder what type of success ratio the scammers have with people they solicit. I realize that it's human nature to want a free lunch, but you have got to be some sort of dumb ass to fall for something like that now. These scams have been in the news for a solid year for shit's sake.I don't know how things are right now, but I was very surprised by documentaries that I watched on the situation a few months ago. There was a story about a man who lost 100K (let's say) to a scam (they took his money gradually, bit by bit), so he personally went to Nigeria to get his money back. He met with people in the US Consulate and others who were willing to help him, etc, etc. He finally found the people who took his money, and had meetings with them. What happened next was incredible. You know what happened next, Beavis? They convinced him to give them another 50K. I'm serious. The numbers may be a bit off, but not by much. The e-mails are being sent by kids or something. But at a higher level, there must be people who know what they are doing.