Scam warning to all deaf and disabled!

So when I returned home from Eugene, I had a number of IM messages and some emails congratulating me. People that I did not know were aware, already knew how I did. I knew everybody except a couple of the messengers. One was the director of our nonprofit congratulating me on my fundraising efforts and my achievement in the half marathon run. Another message was from an instant messenger with the screen name "Deaf Claim Center". The person had said messages saying "hello", "congratulations", and had asked to be added to my messenger list.

I had assumed it was another person with NF2, another deaf person, or a representative from a deaf organization (in the previous week I was contacted via email by an organization in search of deaf high school athletes that I may know of). Therefore, in my tired state, I clicked "add" without thinking too deeply about who the person actually was. Over the next couple days, I recieved several IM messeges from "Deaf Claim Center" saying hello to see if I was online. I think it was last night that the person left a message stating that I won a prize through the Deaf Charity Organization that they were representing.

This morning I recieved 3 IM messages from this person and one inquired why I have not gotten back to him/her and that they only had 2 more days left for me to claim my prize. Pretty certain it was a scam but curious to find out what this was all about, I finally responded on day 4 which is today. I wanted to see if the person would actually try to prove they are legit and what he/she would do if I cornered them. The following is our IM conversation:

Deaf Claim Center: Why is it taking you too long time to redeem your winning prize..I am only using today and tomorrow to attend to winners of your date winning..

Rebecca Dufek: what is this about?

Deaf Claim Center: Its was actually a deaf charity organisation lottery..
Deaf Claim Center: Which you happened to be one of our lucky winners..

Rebecca Dufek: but I did not register for anything nor am familiar with your organization

Deaf Claim Center: The Entire Team of Deaf Charity organisation, Congratulate you on your Win of a Cash prize of $150,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars) Only in today's Draw.
(Here is another hole I catch as I reread this. As I mention above, this person has been contacting me since Sunday. Yet, I won in the drawing which was held TODAY. Hmmn? So why was I contacted everyday for the previous 4 days?)
We are also Pleased to inform you that you have been verified.

Rebecca Dufek: what is the website of your organization?

Deaf Claim Center: We got millions of Email address from the the deafvp and deafconnect and our electronic System Randomly Picks 10 Lucky People to win $150,000.00 Cash prize each all in the effort of empowering the deafs and the disabled in general.

Rebecca Dufek: do you have some kind of legal documentation to back that up?

Deaf Claim Center: I have here a copy of your winning check,which i can send to your email..
Deaf Claim Center: You only need to claim your winning prize..

Rebecca Dufek: I prefer it sent via the US postal service
Rebecca Dufek: and how do I claim it?

Deaf Claim Center: We only use UPS to deliver the check to our winners..

Rebecca Dufek: ok that will do

Deaf Claim Center: We are Charity Organisations, Lending a Helping Hand to the Deaf, as we know that Disability is not Inability.

Deaf Claim Center: We are affiliated to Organisations Like NAD (National Association of the Deaf), UNAD ( United Nations Aid for Disabled)

Rebecca Dufek: so what is your web address?

Deaf Claim Center: Subsequent to the United Nations Disabled Day Held in texas in April 2009, we came up with a lottery tohelp the deaf through out the States.but u need to believe this cos it is real.

Rebecca Dufek: that is interesting because I have learned that the Deaf community do not view hearing loss as a disability

Deaf Claim Center: We are actually aware of scam going on on tthe internet about some pple trying to scam the deaf but i m happy to inform u that 7 of them have been arrested and now they are in jail so u have to be happy now
they are wicked people who dont have the fear of GOD in there heart they are indians living in america ours is serious busiiness and real and legal ....we are doing this all in the efforts of making the deafies happy and rich.

Rebecca Dufek: so how are you able to give money away during times of economic turmoil in our country?
Rebecca Dufek: why is there no information on your profile?

Deaf Claim Center: As matther of fact, the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT is aware of this and also the department of IRS and we are compelled to give out the cash winnings to sucessful and lucky winners after they have met up with the laid down requirments and have been cleared

Rebecca Dufek: how can you prove to me that you are legit?

Deaf Claim Center: I am just your claim officer
Deaf Claim Center: Our System Randomly Picked your Email Address and a Unique Winning Number assigned to you.
Your Unique Winning Number is DL383/3992 pls write it down some where safe its very important plssssss

Rebecca Dufek: what are the "laid down requirements"?

Deaf Claim Center: I am your Claim Officer and i require More Information about you,In Order for me to process your Claim.
Provide me with the Following Information.
Winning unique No.: Full Name: Address: Sex: Marital Status : Job: age

Rebecca Dufek: so how are you going to prove to me that you are legit and not a scam artist?

Deaf Claim Center: Thats why you have a copy of your check,which i can email to you for you to see..

Rebecca Dufek: Again, where does the money come from and how many awards are you granting?

Deaf Claim Center: Alot but your concern is getting your own winner prize which only you demand me questions for...
Deaf Claim Center: Provide the above informations,so your profile can be updated on our computer now..

Rebecca Dufek: You have not answered my simple question and you are asking for very personal information
Rebecca Dufek: I would be happy to give that to you if you are able to prove you are legit
Rebecca Dufek: so far you have not done that and can be any scam artist quite easily

Deaf Claim Center: Okay how will i do that,you should contact our head office in California for more informations..

Rebecca Dufek: ok
(long pause and no response from the person)
Rebecca Dufek: hello?

Deaf Claim Center: I am here..

Rebecca Dufek: I am waiting for you to provide the information to your headquarters and your website

Deaf Claim Center: Hold on..I am on phone..
Deaf Claim Center: I am back..
Deaf Claim Center: What do you say you need?
Deaf Claim Center: Contact our head officer email claim-lottery@yahoo.com

Rebecca Dufek: I need an official business address, phone number, contactr person by name, and an official email. What you have provided is not a business email

Deaf Claim Center: Its all you need to do to contact our head officer..You are sounding too forward,and seem you want your prize to be given to a motherless babies home.

Rebecca Dufek: I am reading that you are a scam. If you are not, you would provide me authenticity that you are legit
Rebecca Dufek: if you were an actual nonprofit, you would provide what I have asked for

Deaf Claim Center: You are not guessing or reading right..You are only trying to be too forward..

Rebecca Dufek: you already made contradicting statements

Deaf Claim Center: Oh really?

Rebecca Dufek: are you actually deaf?

Deaf Claim Center: Good for me..As i wont have to waste my time explaining this to you again..

Deaf Claim Center: I am not a deaf.I work with the charity organisation period..

Rebecca Dufek: I am with a nonprofit and am aware that they have protocals and tax id numbers to prove they are legit
Rebecca Dufek: I am a fundraiser and am so inclined to prove I am not a scam

Deaf Claim Center: Sure you got it right,contact the email i gave you,then you get all of that,i am not in position to waste my precious time explaining that to you..

Rebecca Dufek: this is interesting. I am going to post our conversation on my blog which is read internationally

Deaf Claim Center: Thats good go ahead..

Rebecca Dufek: so one last time, what is the business mailing address, phone number, website, and contact number for this prize?

Deaf Claim Center: You got an answer.Go ahead and post the conversation cos people who reads it know how real it is..

Rebecca Dufek: so if you were in my shoes, you would gladly give out your personal information without any proof or verification that it is not a scam?

Deaf Claim Center: I told you to contact the organisation head office email i gave you,they are in position to review this to you not me..
Deaf Claim Center: Okay

Rebecca Dufek: LOL if you were legit and working for such a charity "non-profit" organization as you claim, you would provide me an official email and contact person and not a spam address.
Rebecca Dufek: How did you get my email anyway?
Rebecca Dufek: It is pretty sick that you are so desperate you are reaching out to innocent people with disabilities or deafness who may be completely unaware of what is going on
Rebecca Dufek: You will not mind me contacting the NAD if you are legit then.

Deaf Claim Center: Whats going on with you really?
Deaf Claim Center: You are just make conclusion that can land you in jail forever..

Rebecca Dufek: LOL I think you got that the other way around buddy!

Holes in Deaf Claim Centers claim

First of all, the profile for this person was completely blank! If the person actually representing a nonprofit charity and was official, the person would have listed the nonprofit organization, address, phone and fax, email, website, and their title if applicable in their profile. Somebody does not just work for a paid position for a charity and use their own personal email or IM account.

Secondly, throughout the entire conversation are numerous spelling errors and improper grammar. The dialogue is not presented in a professional business like manner. It is as if the person actually speaks english as a second language. This is one of the reasons I inquired if he/she was Deaf.


Immediately in the conversation, the person makes a comment about being affiliated with the National Association of the Deaf NAD) but then relates being deaf as a disability. This is highly contradictory information. In fact, many people from the Deaf community view their hearing loss as NOT a disability. When I briefly hint towards this, the person does not catch it and seems to be completely unaware. If in fact this person did represent a charity advocating for Deaf people, he/she would be aware of the community's cultural ideals. Deaf are a pretty tight knit group and those who are hearing involved with their organizations, are very close and familiar with their culture and values.

On SEVERAL occassions, I ask the person to provide some form of legitamacy by providing the contact information and website of the organization he/she is representing. EVERYTIME, my request is evaded and I never do get the actual information for the organization. All that the person has told me is that it is the "Deaf Charity Organization" and to contact an unofficial spam like address "claim-lottery@yahoo.com".

When I keep pushing for a physical address and contact info, the person starts to get defensive and reacts as if cornered. Politeness disappears and he/she tries several desperate tactics to gain my trust from reassuring that scam artists have been arrested to threatening to give my prize to "motherless babies" (who would definitely be more in need of financial assistance). Further, he/she starts making racial comments, throwing religion in the mix, and begins even questioning my reasoning as if there is something wrong with me for not agreeing to the scam.

"they are wicked people who dont have the fear of GOD in there heart they are indians living in america"

"Whats going on with you really?"

Further, "the claim officer" as the person professes to be, starts insulting me and ends with a completely absurd statement which does not make any sense what so ever.

"Sure you got it right,contact the email i gave you,then you get all of that,i am not in position to waste my precious time explaining that to you.."

"Good for me..As i wont have to waste my time explaining this to you again.."

After I tell the person I am going to expose them on my blog...

"You got an answer.Go ahead and post the conversation cos people who reads it know how real it is.."

"You are just make conclusion that can land you in jail forever.."

The more I push, the more the person gets desperate and changes tone and starts making threats and rude statements. This simply would not happen in a professional setting if this indeed were legit. The entire situation is full of holes and I hope this provides you with a good example of how to recognize them should you be contacted.

Be careful out there!