ScamVictimsUnited.com

i recieved a fed ex package from jb lotteries in the uk, it contained a check which i verified through the bank it was drawn on usbank (talked to a person. they said it was a valid check. the letter stated i entered a contest from monster/yahoo, i visit both these sites, and said i won 94,000 in one of the contests. so i decied ill play there game, i got the check, faxed back a european union tax application, and am waiting for a response.
here is the email i recieved:

So before the surprise turns into reality we must complete some formalities here
in the EU. First of all you must register as a taxpayer and receive an EU
tax identification number. A form was included in your winner's pack for this
purpose. You must fill this form and fax it to us (if you have not done so
already). Next day we will file the form with the EU Tax Authority and get a
temporary identification number for you. Next we must deposit the tax payment
(nominal tax for lotteries must be collected by the Authority before any
winnings are released) with the EU Tax Authority. You have been sent a
check to cover initial tax payment. This check is deducted from your total
winnings. Since we have worked as Tax agents for quite a long time,
we have developed the most simple and quick procedure for you to send us the
money to cover your taxes here in the EU. Below are brief instructions:

You must deposit it into your existing bank account as soon as possible. You
can either deposit it with the bank teller in person, or through the ATM
machine, whichever way is more convenient for you.

Check should be cleared within 3-10 business days, depending on your bank
regulations.

After the check has cleared, and the funds have become available for withdrawal,
I would like you to transfer the amount to the Financial Officer of our company
in Czech Republic using Western Union money transfer service. Western Union is
known for its quick transaction processing and timely delivery of funds anywhere
in the world. Please do not try to cash the check at a check cashing service.
The companies that we work with in the US to distribute lottery payouts do not
allow their checks to be cashed using cashing service. This reduces the
possibility of fraud.

To affect the transfer via Western Union please follow detailed instructions
below:
1. First, take a look at http://www.westernunion.com and find a Western Union agent
nearest to your place of residence. This will save you time driving around
looking for one. Don't try to make transfer from Western Union website,
because they have strict limits for ONLINE transactions - maximum allowed
transfer limit is $2000 per month. I want you to go to nearest WU agent
location and arrange transfers from there. Also, you can do transfer over the
phone using debit card(if your card has enough daily limit).
2. Most Western Union locations accept funds in cash only, so you will have
to drive to your bank and withdraw the funds. It may be that your bank will
not have such an amount in cash. In this case, please request a cashier's
check and cash it either at another bank, or at a check cashing service.
Also, some of the WU locations may accept cashier's check, but most won't.

The total amount that has to be transferred is 3980 US Dollars (Western Union
fees included, so you should say to WU operator to deduct their fee from this
amount and transfer the rest). This includes fees for our service and the
nominal tax that has to be deposited. This must be transferred to (this is the
only information required):

First Name: DZMITRY
Last Name: YAUMENCHYK
City: Prague
Country: Czech Republic

After that please email me MTCN and exact amount transferred.

As soon as the tax is deposited (which will be either on the same, or on the
next business day after you wire us the funds), we will forward all paperwork,
including a bank receipt from the transaction, to JB Lotteries which will then
immediately inform their US Payout partner to issue you a check for the rest of
your winnings. The sooner we receive a transfer from you, the sooner this will
happen.



Nelson Grant
Senior Tax Consultant

Joel Mann Attorneys at Law
PO Box 161, Dixcart House,
Sir William Place, St Peter Port,
Guernsey, Channel Islands, GY1 4EZ
+44-28-9099 7198

anyone ever heard of this, i HAVE NOT send any funds and will not, just playing there game.

Just another variation on the fake check / lottery scam .
There is no entity as the EU Tax Authority, but you probably guessed that already. And why is someone in the (English) Channel Islands asking you to send money to someone in the Czech Republic?

I see not only fake check send money back Western Union on this scam but also identy theft. What kind of information did you supply on that tax form that you faxed back to them? The scammers are really expanding on their scams. The check quite possibly is from a real account but the check was not originally written out in your name. If you have deposited that check into your account notify your bank immediately that you believe it could be fraudulent. Show them the paperwork that came with the check and if possible make them a copy for your file. Have the bank personel note on this that you brought it in with your concerns. Do not under any circumstances send any money Western Union. This will get you into major trouble when the check comes back fraud. Also read over the information that you supplied and think about what they could do with this information. Get in touch with all credit companies, your bank and anyone else in order to put a red flag on your accounts with your bank information alone they can start sending checks out just as the one you received using internet check writing sites.
I read at 419legal where they are sending packages of checks to their associates in other countries and having them send out the fraudulent checks so that people will be more apt to believe it is real if not from Nigeria. Please be careful and protect yourself in this case. The heartache suffered by so many is terrible.

...and that phone number is incorrect. If calling Guernsey from abroad, the number should begin +44-1481....

That phone number is possibly in Belfast, Northern Ireland, as the area code for Belfast is 02890 (the leading zero is dropped when calling from outside the UK).

the only info i put on the form is what they already had on the fexex envolpe. no bank, credit card info was sent to them. already talked to my bank, they are aware of the situation, they also verifiied the check. they said the money is there to cover the check, there holding it, i guess the good thing is that ill get intrest on it. its just strange on how there sending tis stuff now, i used to get alot of them via email but i just sent them back to them with a few choice words in them.

As long as your bank is aware of the situation you are in a good place. Yes the funds are probably there since they use real victims information to send the checks.

I hope your replies to them are send in large font and red. I send back to them in 26 font red "You are a scammer. Get a real job" Why do they never reply to this message

I received the same FedEx letter from JB Lotteries. I scanned in all of the received documents (including the FedEx label) and e-mailed them to Scotland Yard in the UK (because the letter from JB Lotteries had a UK address as its supposed headquarters). This is Scotland Yard's response:

You are correct this is fraud have nothing to do with it and DO NOT reply to any of these types of letters and never disclose any personal information.

Thank you for the information.

Tim Hinks
Detective Constable
C.M.U.
Economic and Specialist Crime Unit
Wellington House
67-73 Buckingham Gate
London
SW1E 6BE

Tel 020 7230 1278