$1 Million from Napacom.com?

Did I really just win US$1.1 million from the North American Prize Award Commission?

I got a yellow envelope sent via airmail. It was sent to an address found in some database. Argh! I wonder how they managed to get that particular address.

Anyway, similar to the sms text messages floating around lately, I won a HUGE prize in a contest I didn't even join. Sounds fishy, right?

Some scams require you to pay some kind of processing fee. Since you don't have access to such a large amount, the prize committee will send you a US Dollar check which will be deducted from your total prize winnings.

You then deposit the real-looking dollar check into your dollar account, and since your bank accepts it for deposit, you feel confident about sending the required processing fee. Maybe you'll send it via Western Union before the check clears, because there's this DEADLINE for claiming your million dollar prize.

Unfortunately, it later turns out that the sent check was fake. Now who wants to experience that, right?

Naturally, I grew skeptical of this "Final Award Notification" letter, so I searched the web for Napacom.com and found just a little information.

Too little, in fact. (English translation of a French blog entry)

Nope, I won't waste time checking them out. They can award the prize to whomever, if they wish. The fact is, I didn't join their contest so why should I win, right?

Here's the letter:

North American Prize Award Commission
Corporate HQ: 2051 William Blvd
Winnipeg, MB R3T 3Y6
Tel: +1 (204) 951-1896 Fax: +1 (204) 480-4848

Date: January 16, 2006

From the desk of:
Jennifer Anderson
Payment Co-ordinator,
Claim File #: NAPAC/146/00326/3

Attn: Manuel Viloria (Winner)

Re: Final Award Notification

We are pleased to inform you today Monday January 16, 2006, of the release of the North American Cash Prize/Award Program held on Friday January 13, 2006. Your name/company attached to the ticket number: 035-569-555 with serial number 6280001144 drew the lucky number: 000-707-999 which consequently won the prize in the 3rd category. You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay of US$1,100,000.00 (One million, one hundred thousand United States dollars only) cash credited to file Ref: NAPAC/146/00326/3. This is from a total cash prize of S$13,200,000.00 (sic) (Thirteen million, two hundred thousand United States dollars only) shared among twelve (12) international winners in the third category.

CONGRATULATIONS!!
Your winning money is now deposited with a finance company insured in your name. For security reasons, we advise that you keep your winning number top secret from public notice until your claim has been processed and your winning prize sent into your bank account as this is part of our protocol to avoid double claiming or undue taking of advantage of this program by participants. All participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from seventy-five thousand (75,000) names of individuals from North America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Australia and New Zealand as part of our international promotion program, which we conduct once a year. Your profile was received from our Asian counterparts through your country's database.
To receive your winning prize, please contact our paying agent, Glen Woods, The Accountant/Payment Director of National Finance & Payment Center on telephone: +1 (902) 412-2689, fax: +1 (902) 482-5188 for immediate processing and transfer of your winning prize into your account. Remember all prizes must be claimed not later than Friday February 17, 2006. At the expiration of this date, all unclaimed prizes will be nullified and returned to the department of finance.

In order to avoid unnecessary delay and complications, please remember to quote your reference number in every of (sic) your correspondence with our paying agent. Furthermore, should there be any change of address, (sic) or phone number, do notify our paying agent as soon as possible and also include your new phone and fax numbers. This letter should serve as a final notice on your winning prize. (sic)
Congratulations again from all members of our staff and thank you for being part of our promotional program.

Yours sincerely,

(SGD) Jennifer Anderson
jenniferanderson@napacom.com

Bad paragraph breaks, wrong punctuation, cheap paper... I would've expected more from a company that's about to award US$1.1 million.

Thanks, but no thanks. I think I'll pass this one up.

[ First posted on 02/03/2006 by Manuel Viloria ]