Powerball Lottery Winner Claims $425 Million on April Fool's Day

Powerball Lottery Tickets, (source: Flickr CC; by Claire P.)

A winner for the $425 Million Powerball Lottery has stepped forward to claim his prize on April Fool's Day. B. Raymond Buxton is the winner of the Powerball Lottery. This is what he has to say on it:

"Unbelievable! is all I could muster...once the initial shock passed, I couldn't sleep for days." B. Raymond Buxton checked his ticket over and over in disbelief. He could not belief that he won, and wondered if it was real.

B. Raymond Buxton has been playing the Powerball Lottery for 20 years, and it is finally paying off for $425 million.

$425 Million Powerball Winner has a great sense of Humor

B. Raymond Buxton went to the California Lottery Headquarters in Sacramento to claim his $425 million in winnings on April 1, 2014, and it was no joke, although he has a great sense of humor.

B. Raymond Buxton claimed his winning ticket wearing a Star Wars shirt that read: "Luck of the Jedi I have."

What the Powerball Lottery Winnings will be used for

B. Raymond Buxton has stated that he will use the winnings to set up a foundation for pediatric health, ending child hunger, and improving education.

B. Raymond Buxton really doesn't want to get media attention for being a Powerball winner, and doesn't want to share his age or previous job information for security reasons.

This winning ticket was bought at a convenience store in Milpitas, which is 10 miles north of San Jose, CA.

The Powerball Lottery is available to play in 43 states, plus Washington D.C. and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Statistic: The actual odds of winning the Powerball Lottery are about 1 in 175 million.

B. Raymond Buxton Email Phishing Scam

If you receive any kind of email from someone claiming to be B. Raymond Buxton, it is a scam. The real B. Raymond Buxton is not emailing people, wanting to give away his winnings.

February 2015 Powerball Reaches $450 Million

The Powerball prize amount has risen to $450 Million USD after no one claimed the prize award in this multi-state Powerball. The next Powerball drawing will take place on Wednesday, February 11, 2015. This February 2015 Powerball is one of the highest payouts ever.

Puerto Rican Powerball Winner wants to be Anonymous

One winner of the $564 Million dollar Powerball in February 2015 chose to stay anonymous, and rightly so.  People claim to be relatives and hassle Powerball winners for money if their name is publicly announced. The winner of the $564 Million powerball can take a lump sum of $101 Million or receive 30 payments over 30 years.

January 2016 $1.5B Powerball Winner Rumor

Snopes.com debunked the rumor that a winner of the $1.5B Powerball Lottery in January 2016 died of a cocaine overdose. This was not the case.

According to the rumor:

1 out of the 3 winners was 32 year old James Hugston. His lump sum pay out was an estimated $327 million dollars. His first large purchase was a multi-million dollar home. James Hugston was then found dead over a kilo of cocaine.

This rumor was "fake news" reported by the website TmzWorldstar.com, which has been known to launch other fictional stories in the past.

Patrick Forte Patrick Richmond Phishing Scam Emails

From: Patrick Forte
Email: info_Principalassurance@yahoo.co.uk
Tracked from IP address: 208.71.170.116
Location: West Coast, California

 IP Address Location of the Patrick Forte Phishing Scam

Patrick Forte Phishing Scam Email

For The Attention of: Sir/Madam, 

I am Mr. Patrick Forte, Principal Officer Private Banking Dept of the Swiss Bank Corporation (UBS) Zurich , Switzerland . I am getting in touch with you regarding the Estate of a deceased client with similar last name and an investment placed under our Bank management 7 years ago. I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you may come by as a result of this mail. I contact you independently and no one is informed of this communication. In 2006, the subject matter came to our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of 18.35 million United States dollars, which he wished to have us invest on his behalf. 

Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and made attractive margins for our first 6 months of operation, the accrued profit and interest stood at this point at over 20million United States Dollars. In mid 2009, he instructed that the principal sum ($18.35M) be liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash payments in Germany. We got in touch with a specialist Bank in Spain who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make cash available to him. However the bank in Spain got in touch with us last year that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out that he was involved in an accident in Australia , which means he died intestate. He has no next of kin and that is the reason I am writing you because you share the same last name. 

What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will be made the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you informing you that money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the details I make available to my bank, my bank will instruct Santander Bank in Spain to make payments to you. You do not have to have known him. I know this might be a bit heavy for you but please trust me on this. For all your troubles I propose that we split the money in half. In the banking circle this happens every time. 

The other option is that the money will revert back to the state. Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the KEY to these funds, and as a Swiss National we see so much cash and funds being re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for now strictly by email and fax. 

Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the consequences, but I know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have learned from my private banking clients. 

Do not betray my confidence. If we can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please get back to me on this my email address; patrick_forte@swissmail.com 

Await your response. 

Mr. Patrick Forte

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next Phishing Scam: Patrick Richmond

email: PatrickRichmond0@hotmail.com
Subject: Good Business Proposal

Good day,

 

Please permit me to introduce myself. I am Patrick Richmond, a business consultant and I represent a client that is interested in engaging your service as Manager of a large volume of fund to the tune of 20.5MUS$ for investment in business areas you will guide us in your country and you will be offered 20%.

 

If this proposal is acceptable to you, please get back to me, so that we can work out remuneration for your participation in the transaction and let you know on how we hope to achieve this objective.

 

Please send your telephone to enable me call you soonest for more information on this matter.

 

Yours faithfully,

Patrick Richmond

patrick-richmond@euromail.hu