CitiBank Lottery Scam in U.S.

[Note to mod, unsure where to place this.]

My inlaw's just recieved a legit check from their Bank and Credit Card company.
IT was for the sum of 4,000 us and was told to contact the claims department.
Where they were notified that they have won a total of 125,000. Due to store's where
they shop useing their card. Walmart, Sears, Khols, Kmart, JcPenny and Macy's.

They where told that this smaller check was to be used to pay the taxes of 1,900.
Which they where to deposit it in their accounts and send the 1,900 back to the bank
which is located in Canada. The reason they need to do this is the bank is out of country and
cannot pay the taxes for this transaction. They where also informed to keep this in strict
confidentiality due to unsavory people.

As I write these words my father in law is sitting in his bank haveing this checked out.
Even though I have informed him it was a fraud. The problem with this check is it is
a legit check except it has no monatay value behind it. By the time the bank finds out what
is going on the 1,900 in real money will be wired to some scum bag [Smart but still one] in Canada.

I tried to explain to them
A.) Call the companie's customer service. They can verify this for you.
B.) You use direct deposit, so they have you're info.
C.) If they cant pay the taxes on it why are you sending them the tax money back.
D.) If this is true this money would just be acredited to you're account.
They would get that 125,000 back from you.
[They are greedy, so this is common sence correct right]

Anyway long story short, the dummies will not listen to me.
So If you have any scam storie's please share. They will be held accountable for this money.
They can even possabley serve jail time since it is over 500. It will now be deemed a federal
offence. I just hope his bank manager isn't an idiot or daddy in law is screwed.

LOTZA LUV & THANK'S FOR YOU'RE TIME

Thats pretty sad, not heeding the obvious warning of which seems like a complete scam.

If these people used their brains in doing better things, the world would be an awesome place to live.

If it smells fishy it probably is pops used to say when i was 16.

Originally posted by thegoods724
Thats pretty sad, not heeding the obvious warning of which seems like a complete scam.

I know, part of the problem is that real check. The letter head is an exact match to.
The scam artists have gotten so much smarter. Part of me wonder's if it is someone
with in the company doing this. One because of the legit check and letter head but two,
This scam is already known very well in europe. It doesn't help that these companie's
do run contests alot. But so few people win these that no one can vouch for a protocol on this.

And it doesnt help my sis in law is screaming in their ears, "It's real, It's real".
I told her hubby to say goodbye to thier bank account because I am gonna send her a letter
from Ebay. LMAO. [Sorry I tend to joke alot]

LOTZA LUV

seen a similar thing here in the UK

person wants to buy something like a car so sends you a cheque for more than the ammount required and asks that you give them back the change in cash then when the cheque finally bounces (normally a stolen cheque book from an organisation) they come back to you for the full ammount of the cheque and you're down a car and the full cheque ammount

and never ring any number on the paperwork but find the genuine number of the cheque issuing company and speak to them

reply to post by Mividau


This sounds like a scam. I don't like it, not one bit

Here..read this ...

then show it to those people....

www.419scam.org...

This is a very old scam. A bit of a spin on it compared to previous ones (with the store prizes) but nonetheless the exact same.

People that fall for these things deserve to be cleared out in my opinion. I don't agree with the scammers, but eventually people need to wake up and realize that nothing in life is free. And paying money to get money makes no sense whatsoever (in this instance).

You can't feel bad for the victims in this case, because they are just as greedy as the people that are ripping them off.

Buyer Beware = Winner Beware?

reply to post by Mividau


I feel for you, and your inlaws...

I was in the Banking Industry for 5 years, and believe me when I say that there is NO WAY your In law will be prosecuted for this. Law Enforcement is aware of this and while some banks are still required to call the authorities to make a report if you ATTEMPT to cash a fraudulent check. (I.e. on a closed account or a stolen account like the one you probably have) I have not heard of anyone being convicted of this as long as you were on the receiving end. (as your in law)Part of the problem is CItibank (and others) have privacy policies that keep thier tellers from saying anything other than the account is valid. So even if you try to check up on it, the account is good, but you cant get them to say they issued it.

That said, With all the U.S. has been made aware of lottery scams, inheritance scams, shopping card winner scams, its amazes me the number of people that get this email, phone call, or check and TRY TO CASH IT!!

Or worse case, pull their own money out and wire the "FEE" before they let the check clear their bank.


Bottom Line: 1)You cant WIN a sweepstakes you DID NOT enter.
2) No VALID sweepstakes or contest will make you pay taxes. fee's, etc UPFRONT.
3) It is technically Illegal to just PRESENT a forged, or counterfiet check to a bank so
If you don't know the people or company SENDING the check, it is NOT WISE to
present it to a teller

If you follow these 3 simple rules, you will never find yourself in this situation...

Thanks to everyone for all their imput and advise.
I am glad to see that they wont be prossacuted for this.
Right now they are in very hard time's. [As we all are] So this free
money seem's to be the answer to all thier prayers.

LOTZA LUV & GRATITUDE

UPDATE TO THE OP !!!!

My father in law just called. The check is a real check but stolen directly from
the company. But what gave it away was the envelope. The ink was very smudged
and a complete forge.

LMAO, I guess they forgot to steal an envelope too. My inlaws asked me to thank you
all to you're replie's on this thread. They are now thinking about joining ATS.

LOTZA LUV

[Side note dont hold you're breath lol.]

Its a classic

hi...how are you?...in 2008 i bought 5, $2 scratch tickets and one of them was a winner for $25,000,not bad for a $10 dollar bet! and the odds of winning that,which was the top prize offered on that ticket,was 1 in 288,000 tickets! the mass. lottery " the state" took $7,500 in taxes,so i actually won $17,500,which i split with my mother and brother. the state should'nt have taken anything out at all for taxes,considering that it was bought with money that was already taxed and knowing the nearly impossible odds that i had to luckily overcome just to win it in the first place....not to change the subject of your thread, just wanted to tell you that story and this system we are forced to live in is geared for the wealthy elite,whose agenda is the supression and eventual elimination of the middle class...thanx, blocula...

reply to post by blocula


Thanks for the insight. You know you are always more then welcome to comment on
any of my threads. Even though it was a slight off topic it wound up answering
a very important question. They would automaticaly take out the tax's.

LOTZA LUV

Originally posted by Mividau
reply to post by blocula

 

Thanks for the insight. You know you are always more then welcome to comment on
any of my threads. Even though it was a slight off topic it wound up answering
a very important question. They would automaticaly take out the tax's.

LOTZA LUV

i just commented on your latest thread twice,i think its your latest one anyways...(*_*)

reply to post by Mividau


Your thread got me to thinking.

I wonder how many "Checks" have I shredded?

Hell, even if one was real...I don't want to know.

I'm sure they'd contact me anyways and ask why I didn't cash it if it were for realz.

Originally posted by blocula
hi...how are you?...in 2008 i bought 5, $2 scratch tickets and one of them was a winner for $25,000,not bad for a $10 dollar bet! and the odds of winning that,which was the top prize offered on that ticket,was 1 in 288,000 tickets! the mass. lottery " the state" took $7,500 in taxes,so i actually won $17,500,which i split with my mother and brother. the state should'nt have taken anything out at all for taxes,considering that it was bought with money that was already taxed and knowing the nearly impossible odds that i had to luckily overcome just to win it in the first place....not to change the subject of your thread, just wanted to tell you that story and this system we are forced to live in is geared for the wealthy elite,whose agenda is the supression and eventual elimination of the middle class...thanx, blocula...

Me? I would gladly give up $7500 for taxes and walk away with a face splitting grin.

We had a guy recently get arrested after winning a large sum of money. When he found out what the taxes were...he got violent.

I guess his lawyers won that time, eh?

i frequently receive "checks" in the mail,with "strings attached",they quickly find themselves ripped up and thrown into the trash...some of these companies would give a credit card to my dog or cat if they could!

reply to post by blocula


I have recieved plenty to lmao. I day dream a little & then toss em.
This one was wierd for a few reason's. 1st it was a real check from the company.
2nd, they use this company. So to them it was the answer to thier prayers.

LOTZA LUV