Legal Question in Consumer Law in California

How to determine sweepstake scams

A friend of mine has been overloaded with sweepstakes letters implying that he has won big money and to fill out an information form and return with a fee. He has spent $100's of dollars on this and still hasn't received anything. I keep telling him that they are scams, but he insists that he is the big winner of all these million dollar sweepstakes. They word the notice to make it sound like he is winning all this money, but I read it and it seems they are asking for the fee just to receive a report of where the money went and how much he wins, which the odds have on some of them 1:1 for the 89 cents award. I need someone of legal authority to tell me what are real notices and what are scams, so that I may convince him to stop sending all these companies money. He recently suffered a gun shot wound to his head and he doesn't think clearly and doesn't comprehend the way he did before the injury. I want to help him before he loses all his savings,

believing he will soon be a millionare. He will take the word of an attorney, if the advice is within his range of comprehension. The notices state send a fee for the awards directives and final report on distribution of funds.? whatever that is supposed to mean. Thank You


Asked on 2/26/06, 3:19 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
OCEAN BEACH ASSOCIATES OCEAN BEACH ASSOCIATES

Re: How to determine sweepstake scams

Perhaps the scammers actually hooked themselves unwittingly forming a contract with your friend. A contract is formed by offer and acceptance with vairious methods of acceptance possible. Litigation may be an option if there actually was a unilateral or bilateral contract formed to force pay-up. Call me directly at 16192223504.

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Answered on 2/26/06, 2:25 pm


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