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Apple iPhone 2012 Promo - is it a scam?

hi,

i received an sms telling me that i won money in the Apple iPhone 2012 Promo. it said i must reply to


i replied via email and a Mr Wesley Benjamin from the Verification Department replied asking for personal details, eg country, marital status, Identity Document Number, etc.


Mr Wesley Benjamin replied from the following email address:


i then went through a series of back and forth correspondence via email, with the latest being that the parcel has arrived in my country from the UK and i must pay Customs Duty in order to finalise the collection of the parcel


A Mr Steven Anderson from the Heathrow Couriers (UK) Ltd then sent me an invoice for Customs Duty with the understanding that he will send the banking details within 48hrs.


Sorry for the long description, but i urgently need feedback as to whether this is a scam or not.


thank you


<Edited by host>

Posted on Feb 12, 2012 2:41 AM

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Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Feb 12, 2012 12:50 PM

I am sorry but my first thought is yes!

Also seeing that you are supposedly responding to "Apple" it would seem odd that Apple is using a gmail account

gmail is a Google product, and on many levels Google and Apple are competitors

41 replies

Jan 15, 2013 9:37 AM in response to mktpppr

Here's why I think it's a SCAM...

I've just received an SMS telling me I've won GBP815,000 on an Apple iPhone Promo.... asking me to send my details ... it's a HOTMAIL address! I mean seriously!


Phone number it was sent from was


I've reported it to the scam report line in my country and to Apple....

I hope Apple goes after them.


<Edited by host>

May 2, 2012 4:49 PM in response to mktpppr

To all you above who are thinking of replying or are asking if this is true or not...........let me tell you now...FACT, this is an old and famous scam run by the 419. 419 is a Nigerian crime organisations and are operating out of every major city in the world. all they do is send out text and emails from teams of people sitting at laptops sending out millions of emails/text with the aim to catch a few people out. and beleive me they do and lots of people are making lots of money from these scams. This is 100's of millions a year industry for the 419 and this is why they have cell operating all over the world.

I promise you if you reply you will be asked all the normal question via a form then you will be ask to send money to release the fund,s or worse agree to fly over to another country and pick up the cash, this will be the most dangrous decission you will ever make in your life, you will either be held to ransom, robbed (as you will need to take a sum of money with you) or in some case killed (this has happened/trust me i know DO NOT GO!!!!...........THERE ARE NO FUNDS, THERE ARE NO PRIZES.

If you try to claim your prize after reading this then I'M REALLY NOT SORRY FOR YOU, YOU DESERVE to loose every penny for your stupidity.

Jan 15, 2013 9:38 AM in response to mktpppr

This might be related so I thought I'd post it here as it's the only thing I could find in my searching for something to check it.


I just received this. Not sure if anyone has seen this one (couldn't find it in the comments so far). It isn't a gmail or yahoo address but 'mawar khan' seems to be a common name on facebook so I guess it's the name a person. Not sure if that helps anyone.


<Edited by host>

Jul 12, 2012 10:46 PM in response to mktpppr

I got the same email in Australia saying I won $1,050,000.

I sent back a rather rude reply.

Kinda obvious scam, it says the email comes from Apple with a non apple reply address.

Some people must be quite thick.

Come on Apple, why not catch these thieves, if you read down thru these emails it seems some people have lost their lives travelling overseas to collect these frauduent prizes, more fool them, but very sad for their friends and loved ones.

Scammers like this are the scum of the earth.

Jan 15, 2013 9:29 AM in response to mktpppr

i just received msg from number that said my mobile number won 715000 Euro from apple and i have to send my name and my won number to www.appledpt@hotmail.co.uk and i did it after that sent to my verfication requirement to fill it and sent the copy of my passport to them i did it after that they tell me to send money by western union as fees to recieve my cheque and also sent to me deep gaurantee soo all this scaaam and if yes what can i do nw i sent them copy of my passport plz i need reply quickly...

Apple iPhone 2012 Promo - is it a scam?

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