Technology in Society

Another form of scam preys on the desire of many people in the third world to immigrate. The United States has a Diversity Visa lottery program (USA DV Lottery) to encourage people underrepresented countries to immigrate.

The following fake email impersonates US officials and claims that the recipient won in the lottery and asks for fees via Western Union.

Here is the text of the email scam:

A 37-year old man was jogging in Vancouver, B.C. while having an iPod strapped to his bidy and the speakers in his ears. When an adjacent tree was struck by lightening, the lightening jumped and struck him.

The result was disastrous. Not only was the man thrown off 2.4 meters from the tree, but he suffered ruptured ear drums, dislocated jaws, and first and second degree burns on his chest, where the iPod was strapped. The burns were up his ear channel as well. His feet had burns and his sneakers were blown up as the electric shock exited his body to the ground.

Another variant of the scam. This time allegedly from the UAE. Note the "offer is 100% risk free and is not a hoax" part!

A Moncton area resident was checking if she won the lottery at a corner store. The terminal said she won what seems like a trillion dollars, although the top prize was $20,000. The funny part is what Atlantic Lotto spokesman, Robert Bourgeois said (with added emphasis):

Here is another example of fake lottery scam. They ask for fees in relation to courier.

Here is a series of emails sent to us by a prospective victim. Her name is withheld for privacy reasons.You can see that the method in this case is charging courier fees upfront. In other cases, it is account opening fees, government fees, bribes, ...etc., but it is all the same: upfront money for a prize that does not exist.

Here is another scam email. The lottery is supposed to be in Belgium, but the address is in the Czech Republic.