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Disclaimer
The information contained on this site covering chain letters, pyramid schemes and other scams is published in the public interest under the authority of section 91A of the Fair Trading Act 1987 (South Australia).
Under section 91B of the Fair Trading Act 1987 (South Australia), no liability is incurred for publishing this information.

Read about the sorts of scams that have made the news in South Australa. There are schemes run by fortune-tellers or mystics; by people running betting/racing schemes; by people offerng miracle medical cures or by organlsatlons offering work-from-home investment opportunties.

Employment scams

Roof painting scam

Too good to be true ?

Business scam warning

High tech scams hit SA

Lottery scams top the list

The not so free holiday prize

Fishing for trouble

Pay now lose later

New taskforce warning on scams - delete it! hang up! destroy it!

Tele - fraudsters have their day in court

Blowing scam warning

Up, up and away with your money

False billers prosecuted

You've won!

Dicey delivery - lottery scam warning

Thousands of seized scam letters destroyed

Scam examples

Appliance Depot Warehouse, Winterthur, Switzerland
A slip received in the mail indicates that goods to the value of more than A$120 are being held for you. Send A$49.50 to Switzerland and the goods will be released to you.

Appliance Direct, Southport, Queensland
Consumers receive an unsolicited postcard advising that a ‘multi-item shipment' is being held in a warehouse ‘ready for you to claim'. The card indicates the shipment comprises household, personal and miscellaneous goods valued at over $200 and the consumer could receive a dishwasher, food processor, stereo CD component centre, BBQ or a microwave oven. Consumers are asked to send a cheque for $39.95 or credit card number and the goods will be sent. Offer is valid for 11 days only.

J Arthurson Associates, London
Consumers receive unsolicited mail that advises they have been declared the winner of a cash award of ‘up to US$27,500' and can also receive two diamonds and a garnet stone. Consumers are asked how they would like the diamonds and garnet set and to send those details along with a claim form for the prize money and US$35 and the gems will be sent. The gems are low value stones.

Australian Lottery Winners Services, Canada and Adelaide
Based in Canada with a Customer Services Dept in Adelaide. Consumers receive a notice stating they are guaranteed to receive Rand30 million. The guarantee is the ‘opportunity to win a prize' in an Australian lottery by sending 50 Rand to the address nominated.

Australian Publishing Group, Bundall, Qld
Company obtains stories from children in a 'schools short story competition' with the chance of winning a prize. The children are then notified that their story is considered worthy of publication and for $65 they can purchase a hard bound copy. A photograph and a dedication can be included for an extra $25.

Award Review Board, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
An 'Official Cash Registration Notification' advises you have a chance to win $4,987.99 if you respond and meet all requirements outlined in the conditions. Sweepstakes winner to be drawn by 15 July 2001. You can also purchase a 'love knot' necklace on an 18' gold tone chain.

Camera
Send $19.95 to an address in Canada to receive a ‘world famous internationally designed' 35mm camera.

Canadian Equity Funding, Ontario, Canada
Consumers receive a letter advising that they have won $8,000 or another prize and asking for a payment of $29.95 as a processing fee to claim the money or a prize nominated on the list shown. Only one of each type except for two million ruby and diamond pendants. Similar contests have not revealed any prize winners known of in South Australia and people have not received their jewellery, only requests for more money to obtain the prize.

Cash Winner Division, Ontario, Canada
Based in Ontario, Canada.
Consumers receive unsolicited mail advising they have won a cash award of up to $2,000 in a prize draw. The minimum prize is $2.00. Consumers are given the opportunity to join a ‘Preferential Buyers Club' for $14.97. Complex rules have to be followed in order for prizes to be claimed and if those rules are not followed strictly, consumers are disqualified from the prize draw.

Cassandra St George, Toowoomba, Qld
For just $49.95 you can receive a personal horoscope, lucky numbers, a report to see if you are under a spell and Cassandra's personal good luck charm. By obtaining these your luck will change and you are guaranteed to win big within twelve months or you will be reimbursed by returning the information sent to you.

Certified Confirmation Centre, USA with a PO Box in Fortitude Valley, Qld
Company is actually an American company that rents a Post Office box in Qld. Mail is forwarded through to a USA address. A letter advises that a package containing jewellery is being held on you behalf. The package contains rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other valuable gemstones. All you have to do to receive the package is send $39.97 to the Queensland address of Security Shipping Services.

Consumer Direct Marketing Ltd, Geneva, Switzerland
Consumer receives a letter advising of a pre-assigned item being held for them. The item is either $1,000 cash, a 27inch colour TV (1:25,000), $500 cash (1:25,000), Sony VCR with R/C (1:25,000) or a 10Pt CZ & Ruby pendant (1:1). All you have to do is return the claim form with $14.97. You are guaranteed to receive one of the items and the chances of receiving each one is shown in the brackets ( ).

Contest America Publishers
Based in North Kansas City, USA. Unsolicited mail offers eligibility to win $21,000 by answering three questions and sending $15.00 to the promoter. Once a response has been obtained, the promoter sends puzzles to complete and return along with additional fees.

Coventry Leatherworks, Hicksville, New York, USA
Letter indicates that you may have won up to US$27,500. Cheque is contained within a leather chequebook that you can purchase for only $52.95 plus A$8.95 postage and handling. You can enter the sweepstakes only by sending our entry back in a separate envelope or you can enter and purchase the leather wallet by using the envelope provided.

Dash for Cash II, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Operated by Opportunities Unlimited Publications Inc.
A letter is received advising that if you answer the qualification question correctly and return the appropriate section of the letter you can win up to US$25,500. Consists of 3 games plus tie-breakers. Initial registration fee of A$12 plus additional costs for tie-breakers. Entries are accepted up until 31 January 2002.

Entitlement Bureau Canada, Ontario, Canada
Consumer receives a letter advising they may have won $5,000 or another from a list of prizes. List includes colour TV, camcorder, personal computer etc, or one of two million jewellery collections. To obtain the money or other prize just send $39.95 to the address in Canada.

Equity Disbursement Associates, Hicksville NY
Letter indicates consumer may be entitled to US$27,500 in a sweepstakes draw. Just follow the instructions to claim your prize. Do not send your claim back in the envelope provided or you will invalidate your claim to a prize. You can also purchase a 'powerful, personalised guide to self-enrichment' called Powerscope. The cost is A$49.95.

Estates General Promulgatis, London, England
A letter is received indicating that you may be entitled to a beneficial interest in a deceased estate in England. Letter indicates estate could be worth over £200,000. Send £22 for a Primary Interstate Brief for further and better particulars of the size of the estate. The company does not handle deceased estates in England that are handled by a Government office. In any case the cost of finding relatives in a deceased estate is borne by the estate itself and you should not have to pay to find out if you are a beneficiary.

Garmer Home Shopping
Consumers receive information and a catalogue that indicates they have won $20,000. Accompanying printed material reveals in the small print that a form to be sent back is an Entry/Order form for the draw.

Global Awards Centre, Toronto, Ontario Canada
Consumers receive unsolicited mail notifying them they have a chance to participate in a merchandise incentive offer. By sending $24.97 they could receive either a washing machine, microwave oven, bank cheque for $4,888.45 ‘being held for them' or another item on a list of goods. The small print reveals there is One only of the high priced goods and 700,000 of the cheapest item, commonly worth only a few dollars.

Gold Coast Cash
Based in British Columbia, Canada with a prize of up to $10,000 for the winner of a three level ‘skill contest'. Cost to enter the first level competition is $5 and further amounts are requested for those who wish to enter the higher skill level competitions. The ‘amount that can be won' can be increased by paying additional fees.

Green Card Lottery
The Green Card Lottery is run by the USA Government to distribute work visas to people wishing to work and live in the USA. The lottery is held in October with information usually available in August/September. Several companies, for a fee, offer assistance to fill out the entry forms ‘correctly in order to increase entrants chances' in the lottery. The US Government states that the involvement of these firms does not give anyone a ‘better chance' over those who fill out the simple one-page form themselves with the only cost being postage.

Guaranteed Cash II, Las Vegas
Based in Las Vegas, USA. Consumers receive unsolicited mail advising that $10,000 cash can be won by participating in a three part skill contest. Cost to enter the first level of the competition is $5 and to win players must obtain top points in each of the competitions. Additional payments are requested for those who wish to enter other competitions and the amount of money that can be ‘won' can be increase by paying further fees.

Guaranteed Cash II, Vancouver Canada
Same as previous scheme but based in Canada

Highlander Club
Based in Maryland, USA. Cost to join is $US73 and the opportunity to join, according to the printed material, is only 15 days after receipt of letter. Club members are provided with details of ‘secret ways of making money'.

House of Future, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Notice received indicates the consumer is a prize winner and could have won $25,000. You also have the opportunity to purchase goods such as the precious stone collection (12 genuine healing crystals), magic crystal ball, the Cross of Nostradamus, etc. conditions of entry to prize draw are on the inside of the envelope sent to consumers.

International Direct Inc, New Jersey, USA (entries to London, England)
A notice is received indicating that you are a $25,000 cash winner and to return entry/order form within two weeks. Is only a sweepstake entry and you only have a chance to win the prize money. a brochure accompanying the letter entices you to buy perfumes or cosmetics at a reduced price and you include that purchase on your entry/order form.

International Institute of Health and Beauty, Lugano, Switzerland
A letter indicates that you have won $25,000 which has been deposited in a special bank account awaiting your reply. Included with the letter is a page/order form for a weight loss chip which claims you can lose up to six pounds in two days. People thinking they have won the money will often order the goods. In actual fact, people have only won the chance to enter a draw for the prize. Entry has been extended from 31/12/99 to 31/12/00.

International Merchandise Centre, Canada
Unsolicited mail promises a $1,000 cheque or any other pre-selected gift. For $14.94 those who respond will receive either a ‘ruby pendant', VCR, TV or cash equivalent. The ‘ruby pendant' is of low value.

International Monetary Funding, Vancouver Canada
Unsolicited mail advising recipient they have ‘won' up to $2,000 if they correctly answer a ‘skill' question, write 'NO ORDER' across the reply form and send it back in a separate envelope to the one supplied. Failure to do so results in the prize being forfeited. Conditions are written on the form in small print.

ISO International Awards Program, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Letter is received saying you have won one of seven separate items. Top prize is a Holden Barina. All you have to do is send $30 and the claim certificate back to the company in Canada. Chances of obtaining a car are 1:750,000. More than likely people will receive a watch likely to be worth less than the $30 sent.

James Simpson Winslow, Broadbeach, Qld
Cost $49.95 to purchase the 'Pythagorean Pyramid'. This will enable the purchaser to work out the winning cross lotto numbers for future draws and of course win large sums of money. Claims are made of a full refund if you don't win a substantial amount of money.

La Grande Dame
Send $34.95 to an address in Victoria and be given the secrets of ‘La Grande Dame'. Astrological ‘lucky numbers' are sent which allows participants to win big prizes in lotteries. The secrets must be purchased immediately on receipt of the unsolicited mail as the recipient is about to enter a ‘lucky triangle' period of his/her life that will happen ‘only once or twice during a lifetime'.

Leeds and Winthrop-Toronto, Canada
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award of up to $30,000 and you may also receive two diamonds and a garnet stone. Once you have decided how you would like them set, send your claim form back for the prize money along with $52.95 and the gems will be all yours. You do not have to take the gems and can enter the competition without buying the gems.

Lottery Super System-MSC Corporation P/L.
Melbourne based scheme.
Send away $34.95 to receive ‘Mr Lucky's' Lottery Super System using a ‘hand held selector' to win ‘millions of prizes' in lotteries. The promoter promises a 30day money back guarantee.

LWCA Lists International
Queensland based.
Unsolicited mail sent to consumers stating the recipient is on a mailing list LWCA has purchased to use for unsolicited direct marketing. Persons can be removed from the list by sending a $10 processing fee to LWCA.

MacArthur and Silverstone, Ontario, Canada
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award up to $38,000 and you may also receive a genuine 22 Carat gold tone pen and pencil set. If you want the set send your claim form back for the prize money along with $61.78 and the set will be all yours.

Maria Duval c/- Astroforce, South Yarra VIC
Receive notification that you are about to be 'offered a fantastic opportunity to change your existence' and so you will be ready to accept the opportunity Ms Duval is offering the reader a 'Beneficial Occult Intervention'. For the sum of $60.95 you can receive the free BOI along with her 'Secret Instructions' which will allow you to turn your life into what you have always dreamed of.

Marie-Rose Valmont, Staines, Middlesex, UK
A letter indicates that you have the chance to change your life and finally discover wealth and fortune. Pay A$42 to receive your 'personal prediction' and obtain a talisman programmed according to my dearest wishes.

Match for Cash II, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Consumer advised that they can win up to $21,000 by playing puzzle games. Cost of $5 to enter each game plus additional costs if tie-breakers are required. $7,000 first prize in each game.

Mobile Phone Scam
Information circulated by fax etc. advises people that if they get a call on their mobile phone from either a Cellnet or Vodaphone engineer and are asked to press certain keys to hang up immediately. The fax warns that if you do as requested by the engineer, the person ringing can access the SIM card in your phone and then charge up calls at your expense.

Money Magic ( The Princeton Marketing group Inc)
Based in British Columbia, Canada. Participants can win up to $10,000 by recording the highest points over a three level skill competition. Cost to enter is US$16.75. Prize amounts can be increased by paying an additional US$100.

Money Mania Contest (Consumer Direct Marketing)
Based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
Win up to $10,000 by recording the highest points in a three level skill based competition. Cost to enter around $5 but extra fees are payable if you wish to upgrade to a higher cash prize.

National Audit Centre, Ontario, Canada
Letter indicates that your claim number may have won you a $48,000 Volvo car or a cash prize. You are also eligible to purchase jewellery valued at $135.50 for just $39.95. Just correctly answer the skill based question and return the form to win. Up to five million households may receive the letter. The jewellery is not generally worth what you pay for it and most people end up receiving requests for more and more money.

NIC Sweepstakes Administration, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Consumer can win up to US$5,000 by replying before a set time. You may answer the skill-testing question correctly to win. Sweepstake runs until 31 December 2001, and this offer is sent out to up to 3 million households in that time. You also have the opportunity to purchase from a range of jewellery for up to US$39.95 a piece.

Oz Finance & International Credit Card Services (ICCS)
Press advertisements promise lines of credit for consumers without credit worthiness checks. All ‘will be' successful with their applications, even bankrupts. All applicants have to deposit 1.5 times the credit limit they have been given into a nominated US bank before credit is made available. Application fees of $100 or $200 are applicable depending on the limit sought.

Pacific Coast Cash
Based in British Columbia, Canada. A prize of $10,000 is awarded to those who reach the final of a three level skill competition. Cost to enter is $5 and additional amounts are requested for those who wish to enter other skill level competitions. The amount that can be ‘won' can be increased by paying further fees.

Paragon
Receive a letter advising that you have won up to $19,677.23. Aim is to entice you to send $29.95 back for shares in a syndicate to purchase lottery tickets. Send back the claim form and money in the envelope provided. However, the prize is awarded only if your number is drawn from the sweepstakes draw which closes on 30 June 2000. Prizes are distributed by 30 September 2000. If you do not wish to purchase the shares (lottery tickets) claim form must be returned in a separate envelope. If conditions in small print are not adhered to then claimant forfeits any chance of prize.

Paula Zikorski, Broadbeach, Qld
Letter advises that consumer will be having a special day about three months from date of letter (actually only 2 months). If you send just $49.50 you will receive information containing lucky winning numbers, detailed personal horoscope, bad spell report, your lucky date and a specially blessed luck talisman. Paula does not appear to exist and is a name used by a male who lives in Tasmania.

Premier Premiums, Veldhoven, The Netherlands
Notification is received indicating that consumer has won a prize or a cheque and it is being held for them. Prize may be a $20,000, $10,000 or $1,000 cheque or a refrigerator, washing machine or a Sony Hi-Fi. All you have to do is send $39.80 to claim the prize.

Professor David Robinson, PhD. Queensland
Send away $30 to receive the latest revolutionary mathematical system for winning at lotto. You must be prepared to give the system at least 90 days to work and you must notify of any winnings over $999.99. Robinson is not his real name as he states in the letter but he claims to be world renowned in his particular field.

Proteus Resources
Unsolicited letters are received by consumers allegedly from an ‘unemployed person' who is seeking funds in order to start up a business. The letter asks for $5 or $10 donations to be paid into an account at any one of four nominated banks.

Queens Fortune Contest (Consumer Direct Marketing)
Run by the same company that runs Money Mania listed earlier. Conditions of entry and costs are similar.

Reed Dunhill Associates, Denmark
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award of up to US$27,500 and you may also receive two diamonds and a garnet stone. Once you have decided how you would like them set, send your claim form back for the prize money along with US$35 and the gems will be all yours.

Regal International, Vancouver, Canada
Notice indicates that you have won up to $6,000 and have the opportunity to purchase a Gold Plated Jewelled Pen & Pencil set for $49.50 plus $10.50 postage and handling. If claiming the cash prize only you must use a separate envelope to the one provided. The prize draw is not conducted until 31 December 2001.

Regal International, Mascot New South Wales
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award of up to $25,000 and you may also receive 2 mined diamonds and a ruby-red garnet stone. Once you have decided if you want the stones you can have them as they are or put in settings. Send your claim form back for the prize money along with $39.95 (for set stones), $25.00 (for the loose stones), and the prize money (at least $1) and the gems may be yours.

Royal Riches Cash Contest, Vancouver, BC. Canada
$10,000 prize or a new car in three-part skill contest. $5 cost to enter contest but you can increase the amount you may win by paying up to $90 extra. You must obtain top points in each level to progress to each new level.

Security Appliance Distributors
Based in Florida, USA. Consumers receive a letter advising they have been selected as a recipient in a new $375,000 ‘Premium Distribution'. They will receive a ‘free bonus gift' along with one of the premium prizes. Consumers are asked to send a cheque to cover a processing fee (varies between US$29.85 to US$52.50). Goods and ‘free bonus gift' are promised within six to eight weeks.

Stamp Stampede
Based in Victoria. Unsolicited mail in which consumers are asked to send five unused letter-rate stamps to each of a number of persons on a list. Consumers should then add their own name to the list and send out as many copies of the list as they wish. When a number of the unused stamps have been collected, they have to be sent to the promoter who will return 60 per cent to 70 per cent of the face value back.

Super Cash Sweepstakes, Kansas City, Missouri, USA
Letter indicates the consumer can win the $4987.99 grand prize by replying within the next five business days. You also have the opportunity to purchase a 'beautiful pearl pendant crested with three Austrian hand-cut crystals supported by an 18' gold tone neck chain' for just $19.95.

Sterling International, Toronto, Canada
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award of up to $30,000 in a prize draw and you may also receive two diamonds and a garnet stone. Once you have decided how you would like them set, send your claim form back for the prize money along with $52.95 and the gems will be all yours. Completing the forms allows you entry into the prize draw.

The Global Parapsychological Research Institute, Sophros
Consumer are required to pay $5.00 for information about the scheme. For those who wish to carry on, they will receive ‘winning X-Lotto numbers' for six weeks for $49.95 and for an additional $10.00 the ‘Fortune-Telling Pendulum'.

The International Library of Poetry
Unpublished authors are invited to submit poems for inclusion in an anthology with prize money available for those whose poetry is to be published. Authors who wish to have a copy of the book are charged $69.95 for the first copy and $50 for each subsequent copy. Cost of a biographical profile is an extra $25. Authors should also be satisfied of the extent of the distribution of the publication before agreeing to be included. This type of publication sometimes is known as vanity publishing.

Trans - American Equities, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Consumer is advised that they may have won up to 2,000 in British Pounds, US Dollars, Swiss Francs, French Francs or Italian Lira. Prize draw ends on December 30 2001. You can also pay the company to purchase tickets in the Canadian National Lottery. Send the appropriate money to them and they will place you into a syndicate with 250 other people.

Transworld Lottery Commission & Overseas Lotteries
World Currency Transfer Reserve
Consumers receive unsolicited printed material from companies offering to buy lottery tickets on their behalf in national lotteries with the assurance that winnings will be posted out. Consumers should ask themselves if tickets they have paid for will be bought in their name and will they be notified of and receive winnings. Once money has been sent overseas it is highly unlikely it will be returned. Printed material sent out by lottery scheme promoters mention ‘big winnings' by their customers to induce consumers to purchase tickets. When you send money you don't receive a ticket of your own, you purchase a share in a ticket only. This share can range anywhere from a 250th to a 1,000th share in a single ticket. Even if you win the big prize the chance of you receiving a sizeable portion of that prize is negligible.

United Equity Ltd. - Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
Headquarters in Canada but you send form and details to a PO Box in West Ryde, New South Wales. Opportunity to win $5,000 in a sweepstakes which was created to promote a 'genuine diamond necklace' which you can purchase for a service fee of $14.95. You don't have to purchase the necklace emphasis on purchasing one or more for the promotion. Necklace is probably not valued as much as the money you pay for it.

United Merchandise Centre, Richmond, British Columbia, Canada
A letter received indicates that you have won a particular prize. To claim the prize all you have to do is send $15 to the address in Canada. You are likely to receive a piece of jewellery worth far less than the money you send.

Willoughby & Johnson, Hicksville, New York, USA
Notification is received that you have been declared the winner of a cash award of up to US$27,500 and you may also receive two genuine mined diamonds and one genuine deep red garnet. Once you have decided how you would like them se, send your claim form back for the prize money along with A$63 and the gems will be all yours. Cash award comes from a sweepstakes which may not be drawn for at least 12 months. Prizes range from US$27,500 to US$1.00.

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