Amazon Heroes Sweepstakes

O

Omatsei

CAGiversary!
I just got an email from Amazon (someone named Al) with details on how to claim a prize... the Heroes special edition 360 with HD-DVD drive and season...er, volume one of Heroes. The email had the following text:

Your name has been randomly selected in Amazon.com's Xbox 360 "Heroes" Sweepstakes! We've had over 20,000 entries to date.

Seriously. Really. Honestly.

Only one more step to make it official. Please read, sign and return the attached document via fax to (206) xxx-xxxx and you're good to go. Be sure to add the address for where you would like your prize sent. We just need to verify that you are 18 or older and a US resident, etc. Once we receive your signed affidavit, your custom Xbox 360, HD-DVD Player and Heroes Season One HD-DVD will be on its way to you. (Please allow 3-4 weeks for delivery).

If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know. If you do not have access to a fax, I can provide a mailing address.

Again, congrats! Hope you enjoy!

Al
Click to expand...
It came with an attachment with fields for my name, address, phone number, signature, and social security number. It's the SSN that makes me a little nervous... I've been arund the block a few times, and I know that nobody except the bank and possibly the hospital needs my SSN for anything. On the other hand, everything about this email looks completely legit, from the return address to the phone number (206 is Seattle, where Amazon is based). Would you include your SSN if you got this message?

Update: I wrote back asking if the SSN was really necessary and that I was worried about identity theft... and Al wrote back within about 10 minutes and said it was for the IRS 1099 Miscellaneous Income Tax form, but that he'd ask his tax contact if it was really 100% necessary. At this point, I think I'll just send it in anyway... If this is a scam, it's the single most elaborate and well-planned scam I've ever seen, and I've never, ever, fallen for one.
 
If you actually won let me be the first to voice their hate. Also the special font and coloring and size is needed.

I hate you.
 
I would buy it from you... just give me a price... lol... or i'd trade you my current 360/hd-dvd player plus some money... I so want that package sooo bad....

PM if interested :p
 
I'd contact Amazon about it directly... don't click anything on that email.

The only reason they would need your SSN is if you won a prize over $1200. I know all this because a few months ago, I won a $2200 laptop from AMD and went through all that thinking it's a scam.

The price package your getting doesn't sound like it's $1200 or more.

And honestly, that email sounds like a very non-Amazon like. Amazon's emails, no matter what, have always seemed professional.
 
It does sound a little unprofessional, but they could be trying to sound "hip". It's odd that it's from "Al".
Did you enter the contest? I guess a spammer/phisher could sent out win notices based on that contest, but that seems like a lot of work.
20,000 entries doesn't sound like that many to me, for a contest on a main page of one of the biggest websites in the world.
Did you try googling or calling the phone number?
Unless they're really jacking the value of the 360 up because it's "custom", that sounds like about a 750$ prize at the most--maybe the amount required to claim is lower in your state, or Amazons?
 
Congrats but be weary of giving out your social. Double check "Al's" email address and make sure it's legit, and see if you can call him.
 
[quote name='Limpbizkit182521']Area code 206 is in Seattle where Amazon is located[/QUOTE]

Maybe you can do a reverse look up on the phone number? Just because the area code matches doesn't mean much.

But just email Amazon, I'd think that would be best.
 
In my experience, it's pretty common to have to report your SSN for prize winnings, even if they're relatively small. Don't know if it's 100% necessary, but routine for the few things I've won.
 
Figure out what you are doing because according to the rules

If any Grand Prize is not claimed within twenty-four (24) hours of notification, or if any potential winner does not meet the eligibility criteria, such winner will be disqualified and an alternate winner will be selected.
Click to expand...

I would say email or call them.
 
i remember i won a contest from GameSpot. It's an autographed artbook and autographed slipcover of Rogue Trooper. It also asked for SSN. I emailed them and they never responded about my SSN question. So i just put in my last 4 digits and faxed it. After about a couple of weeks, i got my stuff in the mail.
 
It's legit. I googled Al's full name (which I didn't put above, but is in the email) and found several results that give his full address, and other details that you just can't fake. I also found some of his past work history, which corresponds with where he is now (don't want to say too much because I don't want anyone to figure out who he is and start spamming him).

Update: I tried calling Amazon using their unpublished Customer Service number (800-201-7575), but the guy I talked to said he couldn't confirm anything. That's when I enlisted the aid of a fellow technical guy at work and we checked the message headers and confirmed that the message did indeed originate from Amazon.
 
Just? Thats a lot already, two guys, congrats to both

[quote name='Omatsei']Have any other CAG's won, or is it just me and Lobitoh?[/quote]
 
I got the same email, called amazon.com and confirmed the guy worked there. i also called him nd confirmed everything.
 
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