Scam Alert!

My mother received some official "time sensitive" documentation including a "cash transfer express certificate of eligibility" the other day in the mail that let her know that she was in the running to receive $11, 650.00. Lucky my mother is a very bright woman and knew within a glance that this was the latest scam to procure 25 bucks from her for "filing and administrative purposes" of course. She received another letter from the same mob a couple of days later that included her in the "Road to Riches II" prize pack of $12,090. The paperwork came from the North American Award Center in North Kansas City, Missouri, USA. We decided to do a little digging and checked out the WA ScamNet website. This is what it had to say:

On first reading the personally addressed letter seems to proclaim that you are a winner of a major cash prize ($13,2000 and upwards). Of course, you haven't actually won the money, just the opportunity to enter a competition to win the money. All you have to do is send AUD$22 and answer a question. You then go into a series of tiebreakers, which will require you to spend more money, to win the USD$15,000. You can pay more to compete for the extra bonus cash. Maximum costs to play for all advertised prizes totally USD $25,000 is USD$125. North American Award Center's website states it typically takes two years or longer from the first mailing of the initial puzzle until prizes are paid. Neither WA ScamNet nor our contributors have heard of anyone winning a major prize in these competitions.

The Consumer Affairs Victoria Resource Centre also has an extensive listing of scams, including the aforementioned one. Needless to say these documents will be spat on and then shredded. And all I can say to our readers is – beware!