How one can tell whether a prize promotion from a world class company is not scam?
465427
BLUF: If it sounds to good to be true than it probably is.\n\nIf you didn't enter a contest then it is more than likely a scam!
589505
Unfortunately, NO.  If any body claims it's a free lottery, beware of frauds. I refer a site for your info: fraudwatch.com . Browse this site for extra info.  Goodluck
344961
It is a scam.\nYou cannot have an international lottery as the gambleing laws differ in every country.\nThe scammers say it is "International" so as to cover every country.\nLotterys work like this:\n1)10,000 people pay 1 dollar/euro/pound/yen....etc\nThe lottery company now has 10,000\n\n2) the lottery company holds a draw and gives out 7,000 in winnings (and keeps the profit 3,000)\n\nScams work like this:\n-1)nobody pays money (there is no money to win)\n\n0)a scammer sends out 10,000 spam emails to tell people they have won a lottery they havn't entered.(they pretend they work for real lottery websites)\n\n2)The Scammer asks for your Personal details (be prepared! your inbox is going to be full of emails asking for you personally...and dont get me started on what they are gonna do with your Bank details!)\n\n3)The scammer tells you that you have to pay fees before you can accept the "winnings" (and NO,you cant pay out of the winnings! they dont exist!....silly maga)\n\n4)The scammer manages to con 3 people out of 1000 and gives all his profits to a charity for orphaned goats (he dosn't really...he keeps it ;) )\n\n5)Your inbox gets more mails than help@microsoft.com\nEverything from "You have won anotther sooperdooperlottry" to "CHAN U B A NEXT OF KIN" to "Please join our company,cash our checks,send us the money until your bank realises you are laundering money for us?)\n\nThe moral of the story is...If it sounds too good to be true... It probably is\nSource(s):\n\nwww.fraudwatchers.org\nI spoke to Bill Gates lastnight and he knows nothing about it...honest...I did!
1039331
If they sent you an email out of the blue, it's a scam. It's very easy for a scammer to duplicate or forge company logos so you should not trust that! A good rule of thumb for any email offers you get, especially lotteries and anything that promises you money, is if you did not ask for the offer, it's junk.
364820
money isn't free, if they say you will get money for not doing anything it is a scam.  Always remember if it looks to go to be true it probably is.
471986
Basically any lottery with the word "International" or "Global" in it is a scam.\n\nLegitimate lotteries only operate within the particular territory they are licensed for (e.g. California, UK). They do *not* operate internationally or they would risk falling afoul of anti-gambling laws. For example, it is against US Federal Law to mail lottery tickets or money to purchase lottery tickets in interstate mail. US lottery winners have been prevented from claiming prizes for out of state lotteries.\n\nBecause of this you can safely assume any "international" lottery winning notice to be a scam. Most of the fake lottery scams are run by gangs from Nigeria. The fake lottery scam is a variant of the "419" scam. \n\nThis email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:\n\nThey don't notify winners by email. \nYou can't win without first buying a lottery ticket. \nThey don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to. \nThey don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you. \nThey don't tell you to call a mobile phone number. \nThey don't tell you to keep your winnings secret. \nThey will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
228057
You're right--it's not a scam.  Some are actually very legit.  For an example on how to get a free laptops, try the following link:\nhttp://laptops.freepay.com/?r=27988381\n\nThis same company offers free XBOX, iPod, etc.  There are some websites that offer a free stuff if you fill out questionnaires and surveys, sign up for at least one offer, and make referrals.  Some examples of these offers are credit card applications, Netflix / Blockbuster movie rentals, magazine subscriptions, etc.  These offers are usually decent deals (but not the best if you search hard on the internet.)  As for referrals, you will need to get family and friends to sign up for the same free laptop deal.  For this reason, although these free laptop deals are legit as reported by media (including CNN, New York Times, NPR, etc), these deals are criticized by some for its aggressive marketing methods.  Others argue that this is simple an alternative payment method in which advertisers pay for the end-users/consumers.\n\nI encourage you to do more research on your own before heavily investing your time.  As mentioned earlier, it works and you will get a free laptop.  However, it also takes work and time.  This link should provide you with more unbiased information.\nhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freepay\n\nLastly, if you don't feel comfortable with them, just ignore them.\n\nGood luck and have a nice day!
731638
I only wish I knew of one.    Seems like the only way you can ever find out is to sign up with one,  but you have to  hand over a bunch of  money first, and then  it's too late  because  you  aren't  gonna  get  any  refund  LOL>      I  got   tempted to investigate  one I got  an e-mail about,  asking for people  with good writing skills, to help  with the composition of those  online  sales pitches  that  lure others  to buy some kind of book, or sign up  for a subscription to a course for something.   You  aren't  having to  sell anything yourself, or  get caught up  in  the expense of  making phone calls, or packing and shipping merchandise  etc.etc.   Evidently  you just sit there,  and  tap  tap tap away, composing something that may attract people to  sign up for somebody  else's product,  and  that "somebody" pays  you for your services based on how  successful  your presentation  has been in  producing  sales results.   Only problem  there is that  while YOU  can't be  legally held  accountable for anything  that isn't exactly copacetic, you  are still  morally part  of the scam  if it happens to be one  ---  and  I think you also have to buy their course that instructs you how to  design  and type up your  presentation pitch on their behalf.   \n                         Only  thing I can  think of as a  way to find out about a  truly 100%  genuine one would be through the Better Business Bureau,  who, perhaps, could either help you themselves, or  direct you to somebody who could.
669798
Its a spam or worse a scam...\nThey will be looking for your personal information(its worth it to them if they can confirm that your email address works)\nOr they will ask you to pay "fees" to collect your "winnings"\n\nLotterys work like this:\n1)10,000 people pay 1 dollar/euro/pound/yen....etc\nThe lottery company now has 10,000\n\n2) the lottery company holds a draw and gives out 7,000 in winnings (and keeps the profit 3,000)\n\nScams work like this:\n-1)nobody pays money (there is no money to win)\n\n0)a scammer sends out 10,000 spam emails to tell people they have won a lottery they havn't entered.(they pretend they work for real lottery websites)\n\n2)The Scammer asks for your Personal details (be prepared! your inbox is going to be full of emails asking for you personally...and dont get me started on what they are gonna do with your Bank details!)\n\n3)The scammer tells you that you have to pay fees before you can accept the "winnings" (and NO,you cant pay out of the winnings! they dont exist!....silly maga)\n\n4)The scammer manages to con 3 people out of 1000 and gives all his profits to a charity for orphaned goats (he dosn't really...he keeps it ;) )\n\n5)Your inbox gets more mails than help@microsoft.com\nEverything from "You have won anotther sooperdooperlottry" to    "CHAN U B A NEXT OF KIN" to "Please join our company,cash our checks,send us the money until your bank realises you are laundering money for us?)\n\nThe moral of the story is...If it sounds too good to be true... It probably is
410875
They want  you to send them money so they can send you what they say you won. FAKE don't buy into it.
76466
Try asking the Better Business Bureau in your area to see if they are legimiate or not.
783197
I searched and came up with nothing. How can they PROMISE you you'll win? Is there an address or phone number? I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't even in the US. My wife enters tons of sweepstakes but she contacts them. They don't come to her.
502264
This is a classic scam.  It's known as an advanced fee fraud.\n\nThe way it works is they send you a letter/email or phone you and say you've won a competition or lottery.  You're due a huge cash payout!! (with the exclamation marks and everything).  There is a fly in the ointment however as you have to pay a small handling fee/fedex charge/local tax.  It's never that onerous, although inexplicably it can't be paid out of your winnings.  You send your money through to them and they vanish.\n\nThe key questions to ask yourself are \n1)  Did I ever enter an online International Lottery?\n2)  Why can't the fee be paid out of the winnings?  Better yet have them pay the fee and keep 10% say as a 'handling charge' and send you the rest (it's still over 200k).  I bet they won't do it.\n\nSeriously though, if you have sent them money it's probably gone forever.  Your national law enforcement agency will probably be interested in this and you should probably let them know.\n\nIf you haven't sent them any money, great, keep your money in your pocket.
706331
It is absolutely real.  Here is the site:  as someone else has already warned you, be careful of scams.  Entry is free.\n\nWhile the chance of winning is small, I issue these immigrant visas every day to people who have tried as many as nine times before they won, and others who won on the first try.  Good Luck!!!!\n\nhttp://www.dvlottery.state.gov/
845465
There is no such things its all scam, you work and dont get money at the end.\n\nso better avoid them.
985536
if they are harrassing you then it is almost certainly a scam-if you have won a holiday the organisers will have informed you of this and may contact you at some other time (arranged at your convenience) to make the neccessary arrangements to collect your prize. they will certainly not harrass you. so beware.
696668
there is many "companies" in this country (that maybe are not in this country!!). if you recieve an offer by email, this is generaly a fake. an oil and gas company will never ask you to pay anything about your travel (fly ticket or anything else). to help you to decide: if you've been contacted by email, if the email is from hotmail, yahoo, gmail or other you can be shure it's not good. an honesty company have his own site and so an example :\nsoforoilandgas@gmail.com is a fake\nmrobertson@soforoilandgas.com "may" be good \njust verify if "soforoilandgas.com" can be found in search yahoo.com.\nif the site exist it can be a fake too, if you find article talking about him you can decide by yourself.\nremember: the companies never ask you to pay your travel or airfares.\nmike