I got this question today from a reader, which I will print verbatim here:
how do i know if ‘the electronic mail lottery award notification i have received on email is valid and not fake
This person most certainly found my blog through a Google search.
So, for the benefit of other searchers, let me make a few facts of life clear:
1. Electronic lottery notifications are always fakes
2. Offers to pay you lots of money for working at home are worthy of trashing. In some cases, you’re going to become a mule.
3. Offers to help get a bunch of money out of some Nigerian agency are similarly frauds.
4. Offers to help in some kind of import/export deal are frauds.
5. Anything that promises money for little or no work is a lie. The only people who make huge profits for little or no work are criminals, politicians, oil company and pharmaceutical executives.
Alex Eckelberry