These days I have been getting the news of people getting lots of emails to them mentioning they have won the lottery of some 500, 000 UK pounds. These emails also state it is from MSN/YAHOO Inc with some promotional code. At first glance the email may look very much authentic to a certain person who might not think of such frauds. Through some discussions with friends and then searching in the google for same, I came to certain shocking fact which you may not be knowing so I thought of putting it up here.
There are estimated 100, 000 people in Nigeria who go to their jobs which involves sending such fraud emails to trap people using innovative tricks. This MSN/YAHOO lottery email is one of them and latest I guess. The other tricks are orphaned wealth with bank, someone on deathbed with huge sum in the bank etc. I even came to know of a case where they have trapped people who are looking for a rental houses. The person looking for a rental had been adviced to deposit one months advance in certain account and appt key would be sent to him through Courier since the owner was in great hurry to leave abroad.
I have read the stories of people falling prey to such things unknowingly. There are also various online shopping sites where we see items not being delivered inspite of paying full amount. There are reviews of simlar type against IndianPlaza.com and so many similar sites. May be, this could be one of new tricks. Initially they give very good service and once they get name, they start cheating. In Western countries itself, with relatively better rules & regulations and laws for Consumers, there are so many frauds which are untraced and people getting cheated, but in developing countries like India with kind of rules & regulations and laws for Consumers, I suggest big NO for online shopping.
So please be careful of such things. There are very very few sites that are reliable for online shopping. In India, please avoid online shopping. There are plenty of shops at a easily reachable distance. Just walk in to one of them, personally verify before you purchase.
Whenever in life, if someone allures you by giving something FREE, get alerted immediately. Remember, there are no free lunches. Work on economics of it and go ahead. Only buy 1 soap, get 1 free, buy 1 shirt, get 1 free is possible. That too, the price covers for both the items. So in reality, FREE is not possible in today’s world. Also, anything that requires you to send the money in advance, be careful.