Legal Question in Technology Law in Pennsylvania

Internet Scam

I have received my third internet scam. I was notified Oct. 5 2005 that I was awarded a U.K. National Lottery amount. I exchanged two other emails to clarify the ''claims proceeding'' and on the last they asked me for 599.75 pounds as a series of detailed ''processing fees''. I then researched and found websites to try to verify if this was customary and then discovered that it isn't and that the claim was fraudulent. I am very distressed. I did nothing to solicit this and would like to sue them. I previously received two false employment solicitations and am now really annoyed. I need to receive my emails, check them and conclude with them so I cannot discontinue email service. Could I sue? I have already filed a complaint with the PA attorney general and also with the U.K. Lottery Fraud Alert department.


Asked on 10/13/05, 11:54 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Lawrence Graves Coolidge & Graves PLLC

Re: Internet Scam

No point in trying to pursue this matter, as there is nobody on the other end to sue. These scams have been a plague for years and law enforcement agencies have been devoting lots of manpower against these and their close relatives (the "African assets needing transfer to US" being the most typical), but even if they succeed against one scammer another one pops up.

The Nigerian assets scam was targeted largely against business people in the days before the Internet, but now that the scammers don't even have to pay for postage and can scale up their volume by SPAMming at virtually no cost, the audience has increased exponentially.

Best advice is to do exactly what you have done (i.e., report the fraudulent solicitation to law enforcement), and leave it at that.

Cheerio!

LDWG

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Answered on 10/13/05, 12:49 pm


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