DEAF consumers have been targeted in the latest internet scam.
It involves emails from the “Deaf Lotto International Program” and a purported prize of $US85,000 and a laptop computer.
Winners are asked to email their personal details to agent Paul Petrie, who advises them to pay $US850 in fees to receive the prize.
Mr Petrie tells the winners they have also won a second lottery of $US150,000 and a free trip to EuroDisney.
But then comes another catch – winners must pay an additional $US125 to Nigeria via Western Union.
“You don’t have to go to EuroDisney to be taken for a ride with this scam,” a WA ScamNet bulletin said.
The scammers appear to trawl social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter searching for victims and start up conversations via email and instant messaging to convince their victims to invest a small amount of money to win a fortune.
WA ScamNet has contacted the WA Deaf Society about the scam and has also reported it to the social networking services.
To learn more about scams or to report one, visit www.commerce.wa.gov.au/wascamnet or call WA ScamNet on 1300 304054.