I received a letter from David Hollman with a very tempting offer: “Make $250,000 in weeks…”. Since it was too good to be true, I decided to look it up on the web, and I found out that the exact same system offered on such letter was previously used by someone called David Rhodes who is currently in jail. It seemed to be one of the most famous scam systems used, and this chain letter seems to have been used since the 90s’.
The letter comes with a flyer attached to it, which says “Make $250,000 in weeks as seen on Oprah & 20/20… but you have to follow the letter for it to work. This is not a scam!!”. Then there is the letter from someone called Dick Hollman telling you about his repossessed car in 2001, and all the misery he went through for not having money. Then he explains you in detail a system that will make you earn $800,000.00 in 20 to 90 days just by sending $1 to six names attached to the letter and sending other 200 letters to other people with your name and address in them explaining the system to those people. There is even a 1800-4972912 number which I called –ok, I was curious- that belongs to Data Line, and that company is the one that –as stated in the letter- will sell you “a list of opportunity seekers” for you to mail the 200 letters. It also provides other testimonies, and also tells you it is “a legal and helpful service (see title 18 sec 1302 of the U.S. postal and Lottery Laws)”.
Does it sound persuasive to you? For a minute it did to me, but normally any way of easy-making money ends up being a scam or fraud. Even more curious, I looked up on the web the law cited on the letter, and here it is:
From FindLaw.com
“Section 1302. Mailing lottery tickets or related matter Whoever knowingly deposits in the mail, or sends or delivers by mail: Any letter, package, postal card, or circular concerning any lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance; Any lottery ticket or part thereof, or paper, certificate, or instrument purporting to be or to represent a ticket, chance, share, or interest in or dependent upon the event of a lottery, gift enterprise, or similar scheme offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance; Any check, draft, bill, money, postal note, or money order, for the purchase of any ticket or part thereof, or of any share or chance in any such lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme; Any newspaper, circular, pamphlet, or publication of any kind containing any advertisement of any lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme of any kind offering prizes dependent in whole or in part upon lot or chance, or containing any list of the prizes drawn or awarded by means of any such lottery, gift enterprise, or scheme, whether said list contains any part or all of such prizes; Any article described in section 1953 of this title - Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both; and for any subsequent offense shall be imprisoned not more than five years.”
Also, the Better Business Bureau of Western Michigan says “Bureau files are filled with supposedly "legal" investment opportunities and this one claims that sending $1.00 to six people in the letter will net you $800,000 in less than six months in $1.00 bills. The BBB warns, once again, sending money or "anything of value" such as stamps, children's books, golf balls, etc. is illegal and those who participate may be prosecuted.” click here to go to the BBB of Western Michigan complete article
Personally, it sounds as a scam. And it seems to be illegal, right? Evidently, this scam will be around with different faces, regardless of the efforts the Feds and other law enforcement authorities do to stop such crimes, so beware. At least, that’s my personal advice and thought about that letter.
