The Coca-Cola Company has reported that text messages and e-mails are being sent to persons that falsely claim the recipients have either won a sweepstake or a cash prize from them. If you receive any of these email or text messages, please DO NOT click on any links in them or reply with your personal information.
Also, if you are asked to send money in order to receive some form of prize or winnings, please do not.
Here are some of the scam e-mail subject lines:
- "The Coca-Cola Award Notification"
- "The Coca-Cola Promo Winning Notification"
- "The Coca-Cola Worldwide Christmas Promo"
- "Notification for Coca-Cola Foundation Cash Aid"
Some versions of the email hoax indicate a joint promotion with the British American Tobacco Company, an annual mid-year Coca-Cola promotional draw (which includes the name of former Coca-Cola executive vice president, Carl Ware.
Coca-Cola states that it will not send promotions from free, non-corporate email accounts, such as Yahoo!, AOL, Hotmail,Gmail and others free e-mail providers. The company also indicates that persons should be carefull when e-mails are sent to them requesting personal information and the promise of quick financial gain.
For a list of Coca-Cola promotions, please click here.
For information about the Coca-Cola email scams, please click here.
A Sample of One of the Coca-Cola Email Scams
Subject: Notification for Coca-Cola Foundation Cash Aid
Dear Sir/Madam,
This is to notify you that you nave been chosen By the Board of trustees of the Coca-Cola Foundation based in the U.S.A.
as one of Me recipients for 20W Cash Aid for your own personal, educational and business development Coca-Cola Foundation was developed in 1936 by the Multi-Million groups, which was conceived with the objective of Human Growth, poverty eradication.
Education and Community development. The United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU). is donating five Hundred Won Great Britain Pounds.towards the Coca-Cola Foundation anniversary as specific cash aid to over 250 international recipients worldwide in different categories for business. educational and personal development, and at least 30% to be used by each for the development of his/her community.
In line with the 74n1 year anniversary program, the United Nation and Coca-Cola Foundation nas established and launched a satellite foundation in Africa and Asia and wishes to use Mis medium to introduce Coca-Cola Foundation Africa and Asia to tne world. Based on the random selection exercise from the Coca Cola product purchase receipts and tne Internet ip address .
You were selected among the recipients to receive the sum of GBP 1.671.000.00 (One Million Six hundred and seventy one thousand Great Britain Pounds) as cash aid from the donations of the (UN) and the (EU) In accordance with the enabling act of Parliament.
Kindly note that you are not the only beneficiary in your country and your country is not the only country that is benefiting from this donation. as recipients have been chosen from countries mat are part of the United Nations and the European Union. The idea of this cash aid is that within ten years from now. there will be notab'e richness among many unusual people around the world.