National Prize Reporting Center (N.P.R.C.) Official-looking mailing making available a Sweepstakes Prize/Monies Report for a $19.99 fee Levittown New York

While carefully worded to avoid complete misrepresentation and seeming perfectly legal, this mailing is ambiguous enough that, if not read carefully, it will mislead the addressee and convince her/him that she/he has won a huge pile of cash and that - after sending back a signed document along with a $19.99 check - a 'prize/monies' report will be delivered to her/him.

In fact, this report will inform you that you have entered Sweepstakes A, B, C, etc. and that the tally - IF YOU WIN - is in the amount of $xxx,xxx,xxx.xx

Of course, after cashing the 'reporting fee of $19.99 which is the only fee', your signature and bank account information will be available for forgery and identity theft.

While the mailing is too wordy to quote verbatim, below is a short description.


DESCRIPTION

I received an envelope bearing the mention 'Locate to Deliver' in bold uppercase and other official-looking features, such as:

'USPS Secure Mail sent under strict delivery protection. Direct Delivery to residence'

'Div. Office 8Jt-'

'Office of Preparation - Important Enclosures contain Typed Papers regarding the Individual Intended now on Record' (sic)

Inside was a colorful 'Prize Data Document' from the 'N.P.R.C. Main Office', bearing security features such as those found on bank notes or bank issued checks informing me that a 'Service Agent' had made 'all preparations for Delivery' to me of 'Prize/Monies Entry Data in the $ Amount as Reported'.

In my case, the amount was $1,250,000.00.

A cover letter, signed 'J. Reitman/prize Data Release Officer', informed me that: 'all we need from You for delivery is Your completed Delivery Document Attached, please Sign, and be sure to include the Attendant Reporting Office fee of just $19.99'

On the back of the cover letter, buried in various disclaimers, warnings about unpaid checks and other legalese, is the mention that: 'This communication is not a sweepstakes or award notification and does not guarantee that you will in any sweepstakes.'

A reply envelope, as colorful and official-looking as the rest, but not bearing any mention of N.P.R.C. or J. Reitman, goes to a different address in another locality:
P.O. Box 9109
Bethpage, NY 11714-9101

Jaybee
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
U.S.A.