THE SWEEPSTAKES FRAUD 

You go to your mailbox today and find an official document from an Awards 
Committee claiming that you've JUST WON $5,000! All you have to do is run 
in the house and call them to claim your prize! What joy! You can't believe 
it! You were wondering how you would pay the rent this month and now all 
your troubles are over. You call all your friends and relatives to tell them 
you've just won a sweepstakes. Everyone is happy for you and willing to help 
you spend your money correctly (to their benefit, of course.) 

Now comes the rain on your parade. You call the 900-number to claim your 
prize. Who cares if the fine print says the call costs 98c per minute. You've 
just won $5,000. What's 98c to you? 

After being kept on hold for quite awhile you find out you've won $5,000 

worth of COUPONS! What? You thought it was money you won? Whoops - sorry, 
you  just paid 98c per minute (or about $9.80) for a bunch of worthless coupons 
you could have probably cut out of your Sunday paper. It's a rip-off pure and 
simple! 

The TV show 60 Minutes had a special segment about these companies. The 
rip-off sweepstakes company gets MILLIONS of dollars per day with their 

900 phone lines just from people like you. They put you on hold so they can 
make MORE money from you. It has been reported that some operators will sit 
by the phone, timing you on their watch to see how long you'll hang on. The 
longer you hold on and run up your phone bill - the more "stupid" they claim 
you are. 

Yes folks! These types of companies are run by heartless, cruel and horrible 
individuals that sit back and laugh at the very people lining their pockets 
with money! The government cannot shut them down because they are giving you 
$5,000. Its your problem that you thought it was "money" instead of "coupons." 

(This is an example of those "Legitimate Scams" I have been warning you about 
in other Victoria's Reports.) Always remember that if you REALLY win money in 
a sweepstakes it is unlawful to charge you even 1c to claim it! In addition, 
if you win any contest whatsoever, a real prize committee will visit you 
personally or call you themselves at their own expense. 

Honest sweepstakes are set up to entice people to try the products the 
company is selling who is running the sweepstakes. Publishers Clearing 

House is probably one of the best well-known sweepstakes around. We all get 
them in our mailbox every January and February. They are popular because 

people order magazines just to enter the sweepstakes. The sweepstakes 

itself is very honest. However, a lady who used to work for them told me 
that if a sweepstakes form is returned WITHOUT an order, it is normally 

discarded. Only a small majority are entered into the sweepstakes or just 
enough to keep the federal agents off their back. Of course, if you order 
though - you have nothing to worry about. You have a whole one chance in 
17 million to win a prize! 

Personally, if you enjoy entering sweepstakes, I would suggest that you 
contact Nick Taylor, 4215 Winnetka N #219, Minneapolis MN 55428. Nick 

publishes a newsletter called "The Best Sweepstakes Newsletter". It is filled 
with complete instructions for entering sweepstakes which give you 
a greater chance of winning. The newsletter even holds it's own contests 

and drawings _ so you should be able to win something sooner or later! 

Subscriptions are $17.50 per year, but Nick will send you a sample copy 
to whet your appetite for $2.50. (Be sure to mention that you read about 
him in Victoria's Report No. 138.) 

Remember folks, that nobody is going to give you something free when they 
call you on the phone or send you a letter telling you that you have won a 
prize. But there are people that fall for these scams over and over again 
without thinking. The problem lies in the fact that these companies fill 
people with a bunch of hype and play on them emotionally. Everybody wants 
to have enough money to pay their bills, take a fabulous vacation, relax in 
their yacht, pay the children's way through college, work the hours they 
want to work, tell the boss to "take that job and shove it" and buy a new 
car and home for their family. Can you think of anyone that would turn down 
a proposition like this? 

Human beings love the idea of getting something for nothing. For some reason 
it makes them feel like they are special and respected for all the hard work 
they have done all their life. People who have continually strived for 
something in life, only to have the door shut in their face are potential 

customers for scams and rip-off artists. These cruel people are only after 
the money you have worked so hard to make - so protect yourself now!