Is this a scam? Any others got this?

[PCH (Paul)]

Hi all,

while there are a couple of threads going atm about scams, I thought I might ask the question re something I've recieved which looks genuine, - but sounds too good to be true. And as we all know, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is ...

We've received today in the post a very snazzy looking brochure from a mob called Evermas Tourism Group. It's a very nicely produced glossy telling us all about this mob and telling us how they started in 1980 and are celebrating their 30th anniversary in the tourism industry by offering a variety of prizes. Included in the brochure are a couple of scratchies - again very glossy and official looking. The mob claim to be from KL, and the content of the brochure is perfect english rather than the usual scammy pidgin sort of english. They have a website ... www.evermastourism.com which also looks quite good.

One of the scratchies tells me I've won one of two second prizes of $130,000 USD. They ask winners to contact a number (in KL I think) and listed among the conditions, condition number one is "Winners between first and third prize are obliged to provide required information for further verification".

The problem is, a google search brings no results for this company name. And with my (very) limited computer skills, I've found that the domain name of "evermastourism.com" was only registered in July this year, so is only 40 days old ( could be in preparation for set up of scam!)

Does anyone have any thoughts, or has anyone also received one of these brochures and "won" anything?

Cheers

[michaellxv (Michael)]

Does any of the documentation have the required license number for running a competition and any reference to where you can find the T&C of the competition?

[fordy (Chris)]

Hi Paul

My parents received exactly the same letter. Two scratchies, one revealing a card saying "Thank You", the other revealing "2nd Prize: Cash USD 130,000". Frankly, I think there's more chance of making a paper plane from the accompanying letter that would fly from Perth to Malaysia, than of this being genuine.

Cheers
Chris

[PCH (Paul)]

Hi Michael,

ok, great start. No to both questions. I suppose a foreign company holding a properly licensed and legit competition here in Oz would have to abide by our rules wouldn't it.

Thanks for the reply Michael. Have a great day

[supernova1965 (Warren)]

Sounds a bit iffy to me I would be very careful.

[taxman (Matt)]

Yep, it's a scam.

If you give them your details, it will guarantee you a place on a "suckers list" which can be pretty dangerous as the guys who call or visit you (and not necessarily in relation to your "prize") will not be run-of-the-mill call centre operators, but the ones who are very, very good at psychological manipulation, particularly when they know a few things about you.

I deal with advance fee fraud/419 schemes in my job and there is this one guy in particular based on the GC who can get money from anyone. He has gotten professionals, academics, police, doctors, white collar, blue collar - even a suspected (reasonably) high level OMCG member.

Don't be fooled by the high quality print job or the high-level english either, these things cost nothing compared to the benefit of getting just one or two hits on one of these mail runs.

The background check you did is sufficient - any company big enough to give away 2x130K as "second prize" will certainly be big enough to have a website as well as be listed on a stock exchange.

Even Coke or McDonalds do not hand out prizes like that...

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

If you Google 'Evermas Tourist Group' they don't exist.
The only listing for them is the mention of them in this IIS thread.

Does that tell you something

[Jen]

Grrrr sounds a bit like those readers digest tricks saying scratch here and do this and do that blah blah blah then order these books and go to the next step blah blah blah Its happening everywhere dam scammers

[PCH (Paul)]

Hi Michael, Fordy, Warren, Ken, Jen and Matt -

Thanks so much for all your replies.

No real surprises there if I'm honest, although I'm more than a bit embarrassed to even hint that I thought there may be something to this. I've never been taken in by a scam before, but I've also never seen such good quality print associated with a scam.

Pointers and Lessons learned ...
... Don't be fooled by good quality print.
... Make sure you search on google.
... Look for giveaways like the competition License Number and reference to Terms and Conditions
... Use common sense - if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
... If in doubt ask BEFORE giving away any details whatsoever.

Thanks again all

[pmrid (Peter)]

Yes. This is a scam. I do a lot of work in KL with local prosecution agencies and this is a sophisticated version of a couple of well-known scams. It is much the same as some of those we saw coming out of Europe in recent years and is also an upmarket version of a locally-developed scam in which people are persuaded to reveal their bak a/c details (supposedly so the prize can be deposited into their a/c but what happens is the opposite. Amazingly, people are fooled by it. I would report this to the AFP (Australian Federal Police) who have operatives in Malaysia who could easily confirm this.
Peter.

[PCH (Paul)]

Hi Peter,

thanks for that. I appreciate the time you've taken to reply. Secretly I knew it had to be a scam. Clearly no-one gives away that sort of money for nothing. Dam - work again next week. Although there is still tonights lotto

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi Paul,

I'm a bit late on this one. You've got the right advice so far.

Go to the Scamwarners website. Report it there. They help victims and potential victims alike. Your information may save someone else from a scam.

Your encounter may be just to get your email addy. The scammers sell each other email address details of potential victims. Never give away your email addy if they ask for your password.

Cheers