Readers digest Fraud Sweepstakers

Location/place: Bangalore

Name of company/service: Readers digest Sweepstakers

I received Reader’s Digest Sweepstakes 2010 documents asking me to participate. I had never seen a better or more convincing promotional offer. They they are asking me for my Credit card Number [this contest is in affiliation with HSBC]. They would charge me for 449 Rs. for an annual subscription. In order to get this subscription they included a Car Prize [Chairman’s Promptness Prize], coupon cheques to be entered in the lottery, A star prize coupon
I researched extensively online combing every forum and website and have made the following observations –
a. Everyone I know has received a car coupon for the BEST car prized 15 Lacs – Ford Endeavor. However each thinks that only they have received the best car offer
Reader’s Digest is dwindling in its subscription in India. Once a great magazine with brilliant articles it is now not so good. So this is a great marketing stint to get you to pay your subscription fees thereby assuring that the prize money will come or not come but the money has definitely gone from your account. Which means once at least you have been duped

There has been a long history of people writing that once they have fallen for this once they keep falling for it again. The letters have been carefully worded – Words like these encourage you to participate – ‘Everyone discards their coupons; Make sure you don’t else you will never win’. Please do not be duped by such things – they play with psychology, greed and desire. They play with people who want money and are desperately in need of it.