Scam? NRAWC "40 Guns for 40 Years" Sweepstakes

[Shorts]

My Dad called a little while ago. He said he received a certified letter from NRA Whittington Center. Enclosed was a letter stating he won a gun in a sweepstakes "40 Guns for 40 Years". He read it all to me and my first question to him "Well, did you enter it in the first place". He paused, "I don't think so". :stop: My scam alert goes off real quick and I told him so.

I told him to call the NRA Whittington Center directly, from the number provided on their website, not anything from that letter. Let them know about the letter and verify if it is authentic or a scam. Also asked him to scan me what he received so I could post and ask around.

Next I Googled the "40 Guns for 40 Years Sweepstakes". Can't find anything about it. I see other sweepstakes giveaways from the NRA. But not from the Whittington Center and not 40 Gun for 40 Years. Red Flag.

Then I Googled the tracking number on the certified mail tag. It is legit in that it comes up from the city/state where NRA Whittington is located and delivered to Dad's city. Anybody can send a letter. Tells me nothing.

I Googled the header info from the letter. That is legit info. Tells me nothing.

Anyway, wanted yalls thoughts on this. Figured my gun contacts ought to know if guns are being given away for free by a big organization.

I attached the letter, spliced into jpg for uploading. Thoughts are welcome so I can pass them on to Dad like I said I'd do. I already gave him my piece, "Mail scam fishing to get your personal info". Curious if anyone else has received one like this?

[nimdabew]

Screams scam to me. Address, name, SS number, and palce of employment? Sounds very much like they are going to empty a bank account, retirement, open up about 11ty credit cards, and then max them all out.

[Whiskey_Bravo]

If he didn't enter a sweepstakes I would say scam just on that. Not to mention the first contact they have with him they are asking for a name, address, ss#, and place of employment. Pretty much everything they need to completely steal is identity, and as nimdabew said, open up 11ty credit cards, etc.

Sweepstakes are usually for publicity. Not much publicity when you give stuff to people that didn't enter, and don't make a big deal about them winning(I.E. present it at an even).

[moonshot]

I'm skeptical of most things. This screams SCAM. I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole. Hell, I wouldn't provide that kind of data on a legit prize.

[High Tower]

Back when I had the funds to donate a lot more to the NRA, they would send me a lot of that stuff. The WC does run a lot of raffles and whatnot. I can't say for certain if this is a scam or not, but its possible he won something.

[SeriousStudent]

It sounds really suspicious to me. I'm an NRA member, get mail from them dang near every day, and have never heard of this.

Please let us know what the folks in Raton say when you get them on the phone. I'd be very interested in putting this out as a scam alert to our members here, if they have not heard of it.

[Shorts]

It sounds really suspicious to me. I'm an NRA member, get mail from them dang near every day, and have never heard of this.

Please let us know what the folks in Raton say when you get them on the phone. I'd be very interested in putting this out as a scam alert to our members here, if they have not heard of it.
My thinking was along this line. NRA is very active in engaging members and reaching out to potential members. Having not seen a big To Do about this sweepstakes it makes me skeptical it exists.

I'll follow up with Dad and see if he gave NRAWC a ring. I imagine they'll be interested in someone using their name to scam folks. I'd love to find out who mailed that letter. The certified mail receipt ought to have a time stamp and the Post Office that made the sale ought to have security footage :ph34r:



Also received a PM from a member that cannot post in GD yet but I wanted to address his thoughts here:


It would be interesting to see a copy of the SASE where all your dads personal info would go. I am with you on this, it smells funny. Cannot post in your thread.
Me too. Dad didn't include that in his scans to me. I'll give him a ring this morning and ask. After all, the info has to go somewhere. Good thought.

[Shorts]

Update

Called NRAWC today @ 575.445.3615, the number listed on their webpage. A lady named Jessie (or Jessica) answered the phone. I gave her my named and asked her if they were currently running a sweepstakes contest called "40 Guns for 40 Years". I heard her ask another person off to the side and she said yes they were. I told her my about Dad and his letter and I was calling to verify it was legit. She asked if Dad was a member of NRAWC and I said no. She sounded surprised and referred my answer to the person on the side.

Immediately I was switched over to a man named Mike White. He is one of the directors for programs/mailer sweepstakes. I asked him the same questions. He said they were and it was. If Dad received the letter he was a winner and they were beginning to ship out prizes. Said they had already shipped two out and were getting the rest ready.

I was very blunt in my questions, very open about my skepticism and asked questions without a filter. I kept reiterating the need to determine if this was a scam or legitimate for the risk of sending personal information.


Q. What is the 40 Guns for 40 Years Sweepstakes?
A. A contest they ran last summer to celebrate their 40th anniversary. They came up with that sweepstakes to promote NRAWC. They use to be affiliated with NRA but are no longer associated with them. They do not receive funding. They are their own group. (I do not know the particulars of who, what, why, when, where)

Q. Do you have a copy of the initial sweepstakes mailer advertisement and entry?
A. No, well, only one copy and it is in their file in Denver.

Q. Why do I find no advertising for this sweepstakes when I Google online?
A. It was a direct mailer contest only.

Q. Where did you get my Dad's address from?
A. They tried a new outreach method for this one, purchased an address list from a seller, compiled from vendors like Cabelas, Bass Pro, hunting/fishing/gun industry mailing lists. Dad was on it.

Q. Why do you need the personal information?
A. For the 1099 for IRS purposes. Winnings are taxed and that's how they know. That's why the Affidavit must be notarized.

Q. Why do you need employment information?
A. Same as above, for tax purposes (I don't see why this is info is needed when the SS#/PIN or EIN has already been given - someone fill me in)

Throughout the call I reiterated my need to see proof that made this legitimate. Mike mentioned sending out letters a few weeks ago via certified mail so they'd be able to track them. I tried to think of more questions. Mike made the offer to check the list and would send me via email the scanned copy of the entry form Dad sent in. A little hesitant to give him a name but at this point, it didn't seem harmful, so I did. He read it and said "Yup, there he is, third on the list".

So with that being the only real answer I might get for verification, I concluded the call with Mike. Thanked him for his time answering my questions. I gave Dad and call right after and filled him in. Neither he nor I expected to receive the email but told him I'd send it if it did arrive.

Got off the phone, checked email and sure enough there was an entry form filled out in Dad's pen. Included in the scan was a letter dated July 15, 2013.

I've attached what Mike sent, sans Dad's info again.

Has this passed muster? Could Dad have actually won? See any holes in this? Guess I still don't believe it to be true. You know the old saying...

[Whiskey_Bravo]

I don't know what else you could do to verify, and if it was your dads signature it all seems fairly legit to me.

[montanadave]

Sounds like you've checked it out pretty well. Most scams aren't going to go to this length to maintain the illusion of authenticity.

Tell your dad he oughta give you one of the guns for doing his due diligence. :agree:

[moonshot]

I don't know. The "no longer affiliated with the NRA" would concern me. Even if the contest is legit, as in your dad did in fact fill out the form, that doesn't mean the outfit is legit.

They just see to want too much personal info. If it were me I'd pass.

[AKDoug]

When we give guns away for the Friends of NRA we need the same info for tax purposes, but I don't recall the employment thing being asked.

Mike White's claim that the NRA doesn't fund the Whittington Center is correct. It is funded through the NRA Foundation which is what all the Friends of NRA groups are under, including the one I chair. The NRA Foundation is the non-political 501c3 non-profit that raises money through Friends of NRA events held in all states, tasked with promoting gun education, safety, shooting ranges and shooting sports. There is a legal separation between the NRA and the NRA Foundation. Friends of the NRA events split their money with the state FNRA committee and the national committee 50-50. The Whittington Center receives funding from those national funds, but it also does it's own fundraising and contests.

I would claim your prize. It's a legit deal. This will explain some of it.. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/165909-nm-shooting-range-bills-itself-as-nations-largest

[AKDoug]

BTW- It's nice to see an organization draw a winner that didn't make a monetary contribution. That right there shows integrity. I've always wondered about this.