So, going about my usual business today when the phone rings

dude asks for "male name" and I answer to it and he informs me that he's calling as an agent for American Clearing House (don't get ahead of the story!) and he's preforming the required check courtesy call before the expiration of the 90 days on my second place prize award.

O rly?

Yes, it seems they've been trying to contact me since mid December regarding the $487,000 I won and trying to confirm my acceptance of the prize.

(Thinking to myself - this is not the sort of news i would have forgotten...)

We jaw back and forth about my not having entered anything and him suggesting possibilities until i allow as to the fact i'd entered a few Publisher's Clearing House on-line sweepstakes and he suggested this was "probably" a sister organization (more alarm bells)

Of course, since he's a hired agent and doesn't actually work for ACH, he can't give me very clear answers.

He does press on to the nitty gritty details on confirming the address and so forth...and oh by the way, while the money has been waiting for me it has, for some unexplained reason, been insured (or bonded or some such s***) at a rate of 1% of the total which I'm obliged to pay - though they will be ever so glad to advance me the money and me pay it back out of the winnings (Alarm bells now defining) and also, they have to pay some sort of fee to Homeland Security since an amount of money greater than $100k is being transferred to certify I'm not a terrorist or a drug lord or something - who knew bribing the law was so easy, right?

anyway, he didn't have to draw me a picture of how they (supposedly a loan company of course)would sent me an advance check, which i was to cash and then send cashier's checks for the fees back to them post haste before the check bounced in order for me to work out the logistics in my head.

After getting a phone number to call ACH and confirm my winnings, i instead called PCH and confirmed that it is in fact a BS scam.

just another day in this crazy world, right?



but for one brief shining moment in time....just a few seconds while I contemplated the possibility that this could in any possible way be legit - I bathed in the dream of what a hundred k or so could do to make my body right.

So very nice...and so very brief.


Bastards.

Cruel.

I have now won the European lottery at least ten times, the UK lottery so often that I should write a book about how to win lotteries, and of course most of my family are related to members of the Nigerian banking system.

Still the reports come in that these people make money out of it.

Hope you get Good News as well

Hugs

Cindy

Quote from: CindyJames on March 16, 2011, 03:09:32 AM
I have now won the European lottery at least ten times, the UK lottery so often that I should write a book about how to win lotteries, and of course most of my family are related to members of the Nigerian banking system.

Hahahah that made me laugh.

But really, that sucks, people just like to throw you an exciting line and then dump a bunch of "technical" stuff to confuse you and trick you into their scam.

The Rule To Live By:

If it is too good to be true, it isn't

Cindy

Good for you. There are a lot in the world who fall for this crap. If it is too good to be true, it is likely not true.

Got to admit, when I first saw this thread title, I assumed it was a split-off from the masturbation euphoria one...

Reminds me of the "Ernie" cartoon, where Ernie offered to rescue the kidnapped Nigerian ex-President for a reward instead!

If I am ever told I've won any lottery I have to ask when I entered.

Playing the PowerBall lottery once a month is about the closest I get to this.  I may never win, but at least I have an infinitesimally tiny chance, exactly like the last few folks who actually did win the big prize .  I've already told the spouse if I ever won, it would break down like this:
1. The government gets it's 36% (of course)
2. The spouse gets her 50% of the remaining 64%
3. I'm off to San Mateo for the works and a whole new life.
4. This will likely lead to divorce, but hey, she already got her 50% 

Quote from: Caith on March 16, 2011, 02:40:00 PM
Playing the PowerBall lottery once a month is about the closest I get to this.  I may never win, but at least I have an infinitesimally tiny chance, exactly like the last few folks who actually did win the big prize .  I've already told the spouse if I ever won, it would break down like this:
1. The government gets it's 36% (of course)
2. The spouse gets her 50% of the remaining 64%
3. I'm off to San Mateo for the works and a whole new life.
4. This will likely lead to divorce, but hey, she already got her 50% 

That's exactly my plan - all the plastic surgery and whatever else it takes to make me HOT!

I've yet to try it but I'd love to do emulate a comedy sketch from years ago,

"Could you hold on a second while I switch to the hands-free phone. Thanks.  Now,  tell me what  you are wearing......"