There are many scams running around the internet geared to relieve you of some of your money – sometimes, of a good deal of it – and often in the guise of making it appear that you are about to benefit from a large monetary transaction involving 1) the transfer of a large sum of money from overseas from someone you do not know of 2) the supposed winning of some Sweepstakes or Lottery. There is only one rule you have to remember: I call it “Rule #1”, and if you hold it in your mind and never forget it, none of these schemes will ever succeed with their goal of getting you to willingly give them any of your money in exchange for nothing at all but the inevitable humiliation of having been had. The rule is not a secret and is simply this: There is absolutely no legitimate sweepstakes or lottery or money transfer operation that requires money upfront (for any reason whatever) from any winner or participant in advance of their receiving their winnings or share of proceeds. If you remember that rule along with the key idea that no stranger – some current or past Minister of something-or-other from Nigeria would likely really need you to help them transfer a large amount (many millions of dollars) to a US account. It sounds interesting, until you get to a point where they say something to suggest that they are about to ask for some ‘good faith’ money upfront and violates – you got it – Rule #1.
I recently received an official looking email from a company claiming to represent the Coca-Cola Company, congratulating me on having one 1,000,000 Pounds (sterling) in a just concluded contest and giving me instructions about how to proceed to claim my winnings by contacting the offices of their attorneys. One time,
I actually did win a digital camera from a Newsweek contest that I never recalled having entered – and I know I have entered a variety of sweepstakes, including one or more sponsored by Coca-Cola in the past. So, I allowed myself to think, “Maybe I’ve really hit a big one this time.” I sent the required email off to the attorney’s address and received, within 24 hours, an email from them, again congratulating me. Their email went on to specify that I needed to choose the way in which I wished to have my winnings delivered to me -the first method would cost me nearly 10,000 Pounds (I have not done the conversion math, but it’s more than $10,000.) The second method, slower but cheaper could be done for a mere 8,000 Pounds. Rule #1! Rule #1! Rule #1!
I had allowed my own denial,greed, delusion and wishful thinking to drag me into it that far – but once I saw the violation of Rule #1, I was saved, and though a tad embarrassed, sent a nasty note to them with copies to the FBI, the Coca-Cola Company and INTERPOL.
Remember Rule #1. Scammers like these count on finding a few foolish people a year who are not wise to it. Do not allow yourself to become one of them.
