I just received a phone call from a man identifing himself as a Consumer Agent Rick White with the Federal Trade Commission. I got him to give me his telephone number of 202-629-9472. He said he was calling on the behalf of the American Sweepstake Co. (I got their supposed numbers of 702-583-7588 or 800-925-3932). He said my mother, who lives with me, had entered a sweepstake with said company and won $450,000.00. She hadn't that we recall. I played along with him and said I didn't remember doing it, but could have. Told him we hadn't been notified. Mr. White said they had sent a letter approximately 6 weeks ago and someone most have stolen or rerouted it. Yeah right! Said he had a copy of the entry form, so I asked him what address was on it. He acted like he didn't understand the question. I asked 3 more times before he gave my current address. He then proceeded to tell me that they (American Sweepstakes Co.) would pay all taxes, but we needed to insure it for 1% of the winnings which would be $4,500.00 or they would not deliver the check. Then he tried to instruct me not to give out any personal information, credit card information, etc. for my safety. Ha! If they didn't get the money then we would lose the winnings. He said since the Patriot Act was started they (meaning the Federal Trade Commission) were suppose to verify all gaming, lottery, etc winnings to see if they were legal actual companies and to confirm someones information. He then tried to push that the government was very picky about getting their taxes and that they would expect us to pay Capital Gain Taxes and a 1099 would be issued. Sort of contradicted the first part of this conversation about American Sweepstake paying ALL the taxes. He kept pushing about how the government was going to make us pay taxes on it. I flat out told him there was no way I was going to pay anyone $4,500 to deliver a check. He said by laws established with the Patriot Act that checks couldn't be delivered without insurance and that was what it was for. They couldn't deliver without the insurance paid first. When he believed me about not paying, he tried to get me to pay half of it, and they then would deliver that wonderful check. I told him if they were legal to could take it out of the winning check and mail me the balance. He said oh we can't do that, because we are trying to protect you and how legal they were. Then he said if I didn't pay the check would most likely be stolen in the mail and that was why they had to charge the insurance by the laws in the Patriot Act. His last push was the 24 hour deadline again to get the money. I asked him what they would do if I didn't pay and he said it would go back into escrow and be given to the 3rd winner in line. So much manure! I thought I would let you know since they are posing as a Federal offical before someone got caught by this. According to the internet, when I put these phone numbers in, I am not the first person they have been called with this scam or a variation of it.
Said thy were The Federal Employee Commission of Washington DC.. They had received a package from LasVegas with my name and address and worth over $3000.00. Wanted to verify information and they would send the package to me. I told them if they had my name and address to just send the package. They spoke with a very heavy accent sounded like Indian could not make out where the package came from. They said if I did not verify information they would have to send the package back. I told them to send it back and did not give any information.
I just received a phone call from a man identifing himself as a Consumer Agent Rick White with the Federal Trade Commission. I got him to give me his telephone number of 202-629-9472. He said he was calling on the behalf of the American Sweepstake Co. (I got their supposed numbers of 702-583-7588 or 800-925-3932). He said my mother, who lives with me, had entered a sweepstake with said company and won $450,000.00. She hadn't that we recall. I played along with him and said I didn't remember doing it, but could have. Told him we hadn't been notified. Mr. White said they had sent a letter approximately 6 weeks ago and someone most have stolen or rerouted it. Yeah right! Said he had a copy of the entry form, so I asked him what address was on it. He acted like he didn't understand the question. I asked 3 more times before he gave my current address. He then proceeded to tell me that they (American Sweepstakes Co.) would pay all taxes, but we needed to insure it for 1% of the winnings which would be $4,500.00 or they would not deliver the check. Then he tried to instruct me not to give out any personal information, credit card information, etc. for my safety. Ha! If they didn't get the money then we would lose the winnings. He said since the Patriot Act was started they (meaning the Federal Trade Commission) were suppose to verify all gaming, lottery, etc winnings to see if they were legal actual companies and to confirm someones information. He then tried to push that the government was very picky about getting their taxes and that they would expect us to pay Capital Gain Taxes and a 1099 would be issued. Sort of contradicted the first part of this conversation about American Sweepstake paying ALL the taxes. He kept pushing about how the government was going to make us pay taxes on it. I flat out told him there was no way I was going to pay anyone $4,500 to deliver a check. He said by laws established with the Patriot Act that checks couldn't be delivered without insurance and that was what it was for. They couldn't deliver without the insurance paid first. When he believed me about not paying, he tried to get me to pay half of it, and they then would deliver that wonderful check. I told him if they were legal to could take it out of the winning check and mail me the balance. He said oh we can't do that, because we are trying to protect you and how legal they were. Then he said if I didn't pay the check would most likely be stolen in the mail and that was why they had to charge the insurance by the laws in the Patriot Act. His last push was the 24 hour deadline again to get the money. I asked him what they would do if I didn't pay and he said it would go back into escrow and be given to the 3rd winner in line. So much manure! I thought I would let you know since they are posing as a Federal offical before someone got caught by this. According to the internet, when I put these phone numbers in, I am not the first person they have been called with this scam or a variation of it.
I always let my machine take the calls, and the message I just go (with 202-629-9472 as the number to call back) was from "Attorney Frank Capra". He said the call was for Mr. William, and it is important, so I need to call him back. Very heavy accent. Hard to tell what type by the brief message though. I'm certain it's not legit, based on there being no reason a lawyer would be calling my house, and the fact that there are other reports on this number.
I love when scams say you won money, but you have to send money, to get the money you won. If they tell you that, tell them to just deduct it from your winnings check, and send the remainder!...haha