Reader's Digest Scam-71st Lotto-Ontario,Canada

stormigrl · #1 4 January 2007, 14:39

I received this in my mail and I'm dumbfounded out about it.
Not only was Reader's Digest able to know both my last names, but they also knew that I did banking with a certain bank I was first claimed Identity theft on. And they knew my address correctly and I don't have anything registered with or subscribed to Reader's Digest. I have nothing with them.

I'm sure its a scam. I can't think of anything else about it. I never wrote to Reader's Digest regarding anything nor did I tell them both my last names.
I've been a victim of identity theft before but this is crazy!

Letter starts off like this:
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Limited (ALL IN BOLD) + Address

Your name and address Tracking Ref: 000
DEADLINE COMPLIANT

NOTICE OF SELECTION FOR (YOUR NAME) POTENTIAL FINALIST TO WIN AN INSTANT $500,000.00 IN THE THIRD AND LAST STAGE OF THE 71st NATIONAL SWEEPSTAKES.

To: YOUR NAME,

When people receive a Prize Draw invitation-just like the one on its way to you now- the often decide to throw it away, just thinking "no one ever really wins." And it is a fact that if you receive Prize Draw numbers, but choose to ignore them, you will NEVER have the good luck to win ANYTHING in our Draws.

Every day, people like you, with real chances to win thousands of dollars, decide not to believe in their Prize Draw numbers, and let a guaranteed chance of winning a valuable cash prize slip away- simply because THEY DON'T OPEN OR RETURN THEIR PRIZE DRAW DOCUMENTS.

Some people, like Mrs. Abbatt of Notre-Dame-de-Grace, Quebec, let their Prize Draw numbers sit on a mantlepiece or in a kitchen drawer until time runs out... a mistake that cost her $32,500.001 (I've changed her details to preserve her anonymity and to spare her the embarressment.)

If you've heard of our Grand Prize draw in the media lately you may be surprised to know that in our whole of the Ontario area, only 4% of the households have been selected to receive our fabulous

While many of your neighbours will look to their mail in vain, you have already been fortunate enought to clear two of the three stages that there are to becoming a winner in our Sweepstakes. Our computer selected those of Ontario who should take part, when it came to (Your city), not only did (your Road or Street) represented, but it picked the (YOUR NAME) household.

Now that the Prize Draw numbers have been issued, it can be confirmed that you are the only person in the whole of Canada who will receive the six numbers allocated on your forthcoming Statement of Account. If your luck holds and any of the those numbers go on to be drawn as a winner, you'd have sole claim on ALL THE MONEY OF THE PRIZE YOU'D WON: and that would be a cash amount worth UP TO HALF A MILLION DOLLARS. (The enclosed copy of a letter from our Finance Director to me declares that we are prepared to disburse prize funds for payment of any prize you may win.)
But I have to remind you: for that to happen, YOUR NUMBER MUST BE RETURNED.

That Statement is on its way to you now. It confirms your Final Stage entries, the amount(s) you could win and it requests your immediate response. It is vitally important that you reply without delay as with that Statement will come documents that guarantee access to VIP priviledges- priviledges you can claim immediately.

* You could win HALF A MILLION DOLLARS...
* You could win up to $155,00.00 in ADDITIONAL PRIZE FUNDS...
* AND you could WIN A BRAND-NEW CAR!

A prompt reply is essential for you to make the most of ALL the opportunities on their way to you. Reply by the entry close deadline stipulated and apart from any of the 1,009 prizes in the Draw, you'd also have the chance to find out how to verify if you've already wond a "Cash on Demand" prize of $33.750.00 CASH - just for an early reply.

Watch your mail over the next few days for your Statement of Account: it will arrive in a large manila envelope with a green tracking number seal marked "Ref. #000." If you fail to return your numbers you'll stand no chance of winning a prize; but if you send back AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE, any of them could be a winner!

Now it's all up to you. We've brought you this far... but we can't send your numbers back for your. Why throw away the chance of thousands of dollars? IT MUST be in your best interests to return your numbers THE MOMENT THEY ARRIVE!

Good luck!

(Signed)
Marisa Orsini
Prize Award Administrator

PS. Don't lose out by not replying promptly - or worse still, by not reply at all.
We promise to pay in full any prize you may win, but we can do nothing if you don't return your numbers. Don't miss out - don't let your chances slip away- RETURN YOUR NUMBERS AS SOON AS THEY ARRIVE.

Note: If you do not receive your upcoming documents within 14 days please write to: Reader's Digest Customer Service PO Box 112628, Stn Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 5Y4, enclosing this letter and we'll ensure you don't miss out on this opportunity.

(Small print: Registered office: The Reader's Digest Association (Canada) Ltd, 1125 Stanley St, Montreal, QC H3B 5H5

(Enclosed was my photo Copy of a letter from A.Cioffi, Finance Director, National Headquarters. To M. Orsini.

Re: LL 0000

Dear M. Orsini,

Re: PRIZE DRAW FUNDS PAYOUT

As agreed, I am happy to confirm that a letter of guarantee issued by (Your Bank) on Behalf of Reader's Digest has been placed on reserve with the proper government authorities to cover payment of total prize funds to the winners of our 71st National Sweepstakes.

These funds are available for immediate release on instructions from myself and can be made payable to Prize Draw winners in the form that they prefer, by cheque, electronic transfer, or in cash my special arrangement with us.

The preparations made above would enable us to authorize the transfer of Reader's Digest prize funds including the Grand Prize sum of $500,000.00, from our corporate bank (YOUR BANK) in Montreal to the winner.

Yours sincerely,

(signed)

Finance, Reader's Digest

cc: K.Burgess, Controller

(ITS STAMPED COPY)
But on the back it tells you: OUR COMPUTER CAN ONLY DRAW NAMES FROM NUMBERS REGISTERED AS RETURNED- DON'T REJECT YOUR CHANCES TO WIN UP TO $500,000.00 -REPLY NOW

(also the personal gurantee is listed with the others who didn't respond in enough time)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

**I'm going to bring this to my bank and find out whether its legit or not, but I believe to it being a scam. As to how they got my first and last names correct its beyond me, because I don't order from Reader's Digest and this is the second time they sent me something like this and even the last time I didn't respond.**

Note: ALWAYS SAFE GUARD YOUR IDENTITY, IT'S THE NUMBER ONE TO YOU.

Reader's Digest on this letter had no phone # on it to contact them, nor did they have MY PHONE # on it PHEW!

Take Care of yourself always,
M.

P.S. Yes I will keep you updated on the outcome from the bank and other stuff I receive in my mail.

Nyla · #2 4 January 2007, 16:17

After doing some research, I think it's safe to say that this is likely a legitimate Reader's Digest contest, if rather poorly executed. The letter you received is simply an invitation to enter, not a winning notice, there doesn't appear to be a fake check included, and there is no request for entry fees. The official rules are listed online. http://www.readersdigest.ca/win/rules.php The letter appears to state quite plainly that this is only an invitation to enter, no guarantee that you have won anything. There doesn't seem to be a request for any personal information. It doesn't appear to be misrepresenting itself as a lottery within the letter, so I'm curious as to why you titled your thread "71st Lotto-Ontario, Canada". Does some of the other material call the contest a "lottery"? It doesn't offer a win without entering. Quite the opposite. It plainly says that you cannot win if you don't enter by sending your entry back.

It's quite simple to explain how Reader's Digest got your name and address. They simply purchased a marketing list. If you've ever dealt with any company, mail ordered anything, or received catalogs, you probably appear on a dozen different mailing lists, which are traded and sold among companies. If you've ever filled out a marketing survey, or if you bank creates marketing lists, it's not difficult to purchase a marketing list that shows where you bank, either.

There's really nothing here to suggest this is a scam at present. It sounds like a typical Reader's Digest contest letter. They certainly are a bit offputting with the hard sell to get you to enter, and obviously they want you to enter so they can confirm your address is good and they hope you will at least consider buying their products, but they're not misrepresenting the contest or telling you that you've won before you even enter, which would be a lie.

#3 14 January 2007, 05:57

i have received the exact same letter in my mailbox.
but from my research, it's the exact same logo of reader's digest.,
and it does not tell us that we are the final winner,
it just tells us to mail the pink cheques back so that the winner can be confirmed and so that they can send us the prizes back and notify us IF we won.
so i don't think there's any harm to mailing them back.

p.s.: did you have the car picture and the funky card with the code on it too?
it says that if the codes match, then you win a car or get cash back or sth.

#4 15 January 2007, 19:16

I got the same letter here in B.C. Still trying to figure out whether this is legit or not. I went to the Reader's Digest website, and found no mention of this contest. Their contest has a grand prize of 1,000,000 whereas this one has 500,000. Also, the fine prints on the back is different from the ones on the website as well. Hmmm?

P.S I also got the funky prize decoder card, sure enough I was qualify for the best car.

#5 19 January 2007, 10:06

So did you guys reply to this one? Does anyone know that it's real?

#6 19 January 2007, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unregistered

Does anyone know that it's real?

Nyla's response sums it up very well. You could always ask the Readers Digets if it really is from them, but based on the analysis, it isn't a fake lottery or scam, it's just *junk mail* to entice you to enter and maybe win something. It's just marketing rubbish.

#7 31 January 2007, 22:49

I recieved the same letter here in Alberta and I figured ....well they already have all my information so may as well just send it back. I mean really, what could it hurt. They don't ask for signatures or phone numbers or anything just that you send back what they mailed you. So it costs what 52 cents now for a stamp I say go for it if it means you could win! Good luck to everyone who enters.
P.S I also got the car decoder thing and, go figure, eligable for the best car 'draw' too!

Nyla · #8 1 February 2007, 03:45

I'm going to go out on a limb and figure that everyone who received the mailing is "eligible" for the car drawing. I'll put it this way, back when I used to get these Readers Digest sweepstakes mailings on a semi-regular basis, I never failed to be eligible for the "additional prizes".

#9 6 February 2007, 19:06

I received the same letter in bc, and I saw no harm in sending it back. They didn't have any info about us that you couldn't find in the phonebook, like our address ect... They didn't ask for money or an entry fee. The only mention of money was that they would send an issue of the reader's digest and if you wanted a subscription send back the form it comes with. Also, it said if you are a winner, than they give you a bank issued cheque, they didn't ask for your bank info.
p.s. I was also eligable for the car!

#10 14 February 2007, 11:53

I have a question about whether or not it's a huge no no to send a cheque to a potential scam based lottery. Because I did..... What can a person do with the information on a cheque?

Billy Bob

Nyla · #11 14 February 2007, 21:47

A person with your check has the routing number and account number. In other words, everything they need to make a demand draft or forge a check against your account.

I assume you're referring to something other than this Reader's Digest sweepstakes?

#12 16 February 2007, 04:14

For those who entered the sweepstakes.......what was the most recent document you received from them? Curious to see if we are all still recieving the same thing in the mail.

#13 17 February 2007, 18:33

Dear M. Orsini,

I am <removed> resident of Ottawa at <removed>. I received a letter in December 2006 in the name of Marisa Orsini of Reader’s Digest saying that my name has been shortlisted for some prizes and the required papers to be sent within given time.
Further, another letter in the name of A. Cloffi, Vice-President and Treasurer of RDA (Canada) Ltd. Finance Department (transfer of funds confirmation) stated that my personal number has been selected for prize and money is due to the winner and all they need is final confirmation to release money the prize.
Accordingly, I sent all the documents to the authorities given in the letter. But so far, I have not received any communication from the Reader’s Digest.
I, therefore, request you to arrange to let me know my winning status and other details. I am herewith giving my details:
S. Ayinagadda
Personal Draw Number – <removed>
Winner Status – Selected
Total Prize Amount – 33,750.00
Code – <removed>
Address:
<removed>

I would suggest email communication in this regard for quick communication

Sincerely
S. Ayinagadda

FW Admin · #14 17 February 2007, 19:14

I have removed all your personal details, including your name address and telephone number.

Please note: NEVER EVER post or publish your full personal details on an internet forum or other accessible areas - this opens you to receive all kinds of spam and scam emails, postal mail and telephone calls!

You have also submitted a contact us form for this same request - it is totally unnecessary and a waste of badnwidth to use both the available channels. Your query will undoubtedly be answered here within this forum.

I can tell you at this stage that, given the information in your post, it seems that you have been the target of 419 scammers (lottery/sweepstakes) that are fraudulently using the Readers Digest name and details to convince you to part with fees of various kinds in order to receive your alleged winnings. If you can post the actual contents of the email (with headers if you know how to obtain them) then that would help some way towards being able to identify the source.

Nyla · #15 19 February 2007, 04:23

I believe the Unregistered poster received this in the postal mail, not as an email.

Perhaps I've missed something in the post that indicates otherwise, but this still appears to be just common postal junk mail/contest mail from Reader's Digest, to me. The letter does not seem to ask for fees. That "short list" you're on could also be 10,000 people long. This is the official site for the contest, apparently. http://www.readersdigest.ca/sweeps_new.html

May I also point out this bit from the link?

Quote:

No purchase was necessary. The only conditions necessary for any participant to enter are that they be Canadian residents and over the age of 18. The James’ had to correctly answer a skill-testing question, as prescribed by law, before being officially named the Grand Prize winners of the 70th National Sweepstakes.

In addition to the $1,000,000 Grand Prize, the Reader’s Digest Canada 70th National Sweepstakes awarded one prize of $75,000, one prize of $50,000, five prizes of $32,500, three prizes of $27,500, one prize of $25,000, eighteen prizes of $5,000 and 1,000 prizes of $50. All of the winners’ names are posted on the Reader’s Digest Canada web site, www.rd.ca

If the letter in any way asks for any fee from you, it is indeed a scam. If it deviates from this list of rules, I woul dalso think that indicates a scam. If, however, this is actually from Reader's Digest, I still wouldn't hold my breath that you are a winner of any significant prize. The site I referenced above seems to imply that there is not yet an official winner named in the 71st sweepstakes, as the latest one mentioned is the 70th. I would suggest reading the fine print on that letter very closely. And if you want to find out your status in the sweepstakes, or find out when a winner will be named, I would suggest using the Contact Us link on that Reader's Digest site.

We do not work for Reader's Digest, or run their sweepstakes, nor do we dictate when they name winners. It would be far more straightforward and efficient for you to contact Reader's Digest directly. Considering this article about the 70th winner was dated Nov 16, 2006, I would think it would be a few months before the winner is announced.

EDIT: I would also suggest reading their sweepstakes FAQ. FAQ

I also noticed you addressed your post "Dear M. Orsini". Just to be perfectly clear, Ms. Orsini has absolutely no association with this site, nor do we have any association with Reader's Digest.

#16 6 March 2007, 20:51

Yes, I was checking online to see if this is a fraud letter as well... I'm confused.

Does Readers Digest contact finalist this way?

Nyla · #17 6 March 2007, 21:55

Why not visit the website I listed in the post right above yours, use the contact us link, and ask Reader's Digest directly to find out? I'm sure they would be glad to answer your question.

It seems legitimate. It does not follow the usual formula for sweepstakes scams. They ask for no fees. They do not guarantee a win. They do not include a bogus check and ask you to cash it to pay fees. It is probably a legitimate contest where RD mass mails entry forms to potential entrants. Keep in mind that the list of "finalists" is probably thousands of people. Your chances of winning will depend on how many other people enter.

#18 9 March 2007, 15:11

Hey everyone, so wheres the deal, I got one last night too, I have never even picked up a RD magazine, so I found it weird, anyways, got in the office this morning, started googling this draw thing, and found this website, read all the comments, and said to my self.... why hasnt anyone here called them??? Well I did, and guess what, it's real... the draw isnt until next march (2008), but the guy said that it's a real draw... where's the thing, the info they got, came from your FINANCIAL INSTITUTION. Scary hey!?!?!?!?! I'm a little concerned however that the bank sells this info to another company without my permission... but hey, I could use 500K... Good luck to all, but I'm sorry to tell you, that I will be the grand prize winner..... so dont waste your stamp, save it for a rainy day... Alex.

#19 10 March 2007, 18:03

I received a poorly written letter from the office of the honourable A. Cioffi who supposedly serves as the Finance Director of the National Headquarters for Readers Digest located in Montreal Qc.

First off, I am very concerned if anyone who recieved this letter replied to, or provided any personal credit information to the individuals behind this scam. The letter from the "finance director" is printed on an official letter-head. In fact, the letter is photocopied,slanted and has the name K Burgess who serves as controller.

!!!!!!PLEASE DO NOT PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THESE SCAMMERS!!!!!!!

Anyway's I do thank these scammers for making me laugh and share a good time with my friends.

Nyla · #20 11 March 2007, 05:22

A few points in regards to the last two posts.

Banks and other financial institutions, like practically every other business out there, may collect and sell reasonably harmless data about you and their other customers, such as your name, phone number, and your home address, and perhaps a bit of biographical data, such as gender and age. All information that can be found in public directories 90% of the time. They sell it for marketing purposes and to make a profit. Companies like Reader's Digest buy marketing lists, for the purposes of sending marketing material to people who might consider buying their products, so they can also make a profit.

Most banks don't sell sensitive financial information about you to random companies. They don't release your bank account balance, or your credit rating, or actual account data, to any company or individual who comes along and asks. If you're worried that your bank or financial institution might be releasing data you are uncomfortable with, checking into their privacy policy is a good idea, and seeing if you can opt out of any marketing lists they may create and sell might be another good option. As already stated, Reader's Digest obviously does run a real sweepstakes by this name, and some of the people in this thread appear to have received what are likely legitimate mailings from them.

That said, scammers imitate real lotteries and sweepstakes all the time. They often pose as existing entities such as The UK National Lottery, and so on. You can generally tell them from real sweepstakes or lotteries quite easily. Usually by their requests for information they have no right to (such as your bank account information, credit information, or sensitive personal information such as social security numbers) and their requests for money for fees. Unprofessional looking letters with spelling mistakes, imaginary names, no enclosed envelopes for return mailings and details you cannot confirm through independent sources are the norm, but as computer programs and skills improve, as do printers, it's becoming easier to produce a professional looking mailing without a great deal of expense. Also, scammers do not usually ask you to mail back an "entry". Scammers tell you that you're already a winner, without even entering. Scammers, being criminals, don't provide mailing addresses that lead directly to them. Scammers stick to anonymous mobile numbers or toll-free/personal numbers redirected to anonymous mobiles.

If you apply a bit of logic and caution, you should be safe. Entering a sweepstakes by mailing an entry is generally safe, provided, obviously, that the entry does not ask for any sensitive information that could be used in identity theft. It's my understanding that most of the posters in this thread received harmless mailings that ask for nothing more than can be found in a phone book and the action of mailing back the entry. Unless there are large red flags (requests for processing fees, insistence on calling a number for "further instruction", requests for sensitive information, numerous spelling errors, obviously poor printng quality for example) you're likely entering a legitimate-enough sweepstakes with rather steep odds of winning and signaling your willingness to receive more mailings from Readers Digest and their partner companies in which they will attempt to sell you something. The largest risk you would be taking in that case is asking for more junk mail and maybe a few telemarketer calls.

However nice the mailing or phone system may be, if ANY sweepstakes or lottery ever asks you for money in order to claim your prize, it is a scam. Period. Any sweeps or lottery asking for money for a prize is violating the law.