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‘Money Carlo’ Match to Win Car Dealership Scam

By Sean Doyle 3 min read

Don’t get too excited if you receive a “winning” Money Carlo Match to Win voucher in the mail that promotes your local car dealership. The Money Carlo Match to Win game is a marketing scheme utilized by various desperate car dealerships across the United States. The Money Carlo game will claim recipients won a certain amount of cash by peeling game piece tabs and matching objects like oranges, cherries, and 7’s. The Money Carlo game piece will usually arrive in the mail alongside advertisements, promotions, and coupons.

money carlo

The way the Money Carlo “scam” works is that a person will receive the Money Carlo game card and voucher in the mail from a local car dealership. The Money Carlo game card and attached invitation or voucher states that if you match a pair you will win $25,000, $5,000, $2,000, or $100 cash; However, this does not actually mean that you won anything. A simple way to determine if you are potentially being tricked is to know that most/all of the Money Carlo game cards will typically match the numbers 777 – 777. This can sometimes be an alleged $5,000 or $100 cash prize. The Money Carlo game will state that winners must call the car dealership and supply them with a confirmation number, as well as visit the location to compare the confirmation code to the car dealership’s prize board. The game voucher claims that the prize board at your local car dealership will determine if you have won – not the actual game piece that already says that you won.

The game also states that there is a 1:45,000 chance to win but we are unable to find any reports of real Money Carlo winners. We have noticed that car dealerships who utilize this tactic have many bad reviews by frustrated potentially customers who feel duped and lied to.

We spoke with several employees and ex-employees of certain car dealerships online who strongly suggest that this as a scam and deceptive marketing ploy. They described it as a deceptive marketing scheme used to acquire potential customers. The car dealerships that utilize this tactic want you to visit their location and sell you a car. In order to get you to do this you must visit the location with your game piece in hand.

I would not go as far as most people to classify the Money Carlo game as a “full-blown” scam, but I would say that it is a very unethical marketing technique and car dealerships who participate in this marketing scheme should be punished. Telling people that they won a large amount of cash when they did not is dishonest and unethical. It’s a terrible thing to do to people, and these bad car dealerships should be ashamed of themselves. If you receive these types of games in the mail in the future you may want to throw them away before you end up wasting your time visiting a dishonest and greedy car dealership. I also recommend to leave the car dealership a bad review online, on various websites like Yelp and Google, in order to put an end to this type of marketing scheme once and for all.


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Sean Doyle

Sean is a tech author and security researcher with more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity, privacy, malware analysis, analytics, and online marketing. He focuses on clear reporting, deep technical investigation, and practical guidance that helps readers stay safe in a fast-moving digital landscape. His work continues to appear in respected publications, including articles written for Private Internet Access. Through Botcrawl and his ongoing cybersecurity coverage, Sean provides trusted insights on data breaches, malware threats, and online safety for individuals and businesses worldwide.

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176 Comments

  2. Going on in milwaukee,

    Griffin’s Hub Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram.
    5700 S. 27th Street
    Milwaukee, WI 53221

    I can’t believe this is legal…everything about this screams lawsuit. I’d hold on to these mailers.

  4. Yup, Sullivan Bros. Nissan in Kingston MA sent me one, and like so many of you here, I also won 5k via the matched 7s. What the hell? I was about to go down there tomorrow to see what was up because I was still skeptical yet curious. The fine print was fairly straightforward about winning and conveniently didn’t mention anything about a separate number board located in the dealership. Seeing here that a bunch of you got the same exact card with the same exact outcome, well these scummy dealerships like Sullivan Brothers can go eat a di&ck! Sending these cards out without at least putting the truth into the fine print should not be allowed by law.

  5. Sullivan Brothers Nissan in Kingston did this to me. Got the 777s for $5K. The “odds” are obviously a lie & they should be held accountable for this kind of fraud. It says to see ShoppingDough.com for “other restrictions” but that website says it is “under maintenance”.

  6. why do they think we’d want their sh#t after being at least slightly devastated. i dont trust any thing or one but i guess the upside drew me in too. hopefully these guys trick the wrong people someday 😉 they probably even could’ve just given out free food or a miniscule gift card as incentive and not make 1,000s of people hate their sniveling sorry asses.

  9. I too won on the lucky 777-777’s for $5,000 today…….I thought it was a scam originally, but when I read the fine print it seemed valid (although, still a little skeptical!!) I was on my way to Gray Chevrolet Stroudsburg, PA but figured I would google “Money Carlo.” What a joke and terrible way to do business. Thanks for all the feedback.

  10. Griffin’s Hub Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram.
    5700 S. 27th Street
    Milwaukee, WI 53221

    They mailed this scam to me. Dreams often to unfulfilled. I certainly won’t be purchasing my next Jeep from these guys.

  11. Dewey Barber Chevrolet. 90 barber Blvd, Birmingham, al 35071. I got 777 777 to apparently I won 5,000.00$. Glad I found this thread, saved me a trip! Darn barely legal scam…

  13. Jimmy Cleveland Nissan in Wichita Falls, just mailed these out. Matched the 777-777, and no matter how careful you read it and the fine print, it makes you think you won a big prize. In our case odds 1:80,000. Thanks but no thanks Jimmy Cleveland. I will show Herb Easley or Pattersons instead.

  14. Thanks for the heads up.
    Matched 777 on money Carlo card from Solon Pre-Owned Off-SiteTent Sale of the Century, Walmart, Fountain, CO. Maybe 1:60,000 odds.
    Don’t think so…..

    • Dumb ass people who cannot spell to save their lives fall for these scams. People who spell “walla” instead of “voila” or people who say “Grant it” instead of “Granted”. There are so many illiterates sucking up oxygen out in the world it is no wonder why companies such as these think they can get away with decieving the public. Look at the damn cards.. The money amounts only say =win. The money amounts are in a different block. Pay attention.

  17. Looks like I’ve got 5 grand coming my way from Steve Coury Automotive in Globe, AZ. My winning match looks just like the one in the article. Thanks for the heads up.

    • Me too, and so did my neighbor – exact same winning numbers, same cash value. When you call in, they want your name and address, and household income. I thought about it, until I found out my neighbors had the exact same card – only difference was his name was not on his, mine was.

  21. That’s pretty funny, the card in this pic is identical to the card I receive in the mail (same “matches”); I bet they all look the same, with the 777-777 as #2!!

    • I actually went down to the dealership and when he said “oh your number doesnt match the $5000 prize but actually the $25 gift card” i replied “do even though i have the 3 7’s matching i didnt win”

      he actually said to me, “yeah pretty much everyone gets the 777’s, it needs to match the the table number”

  22. I called to confirm winning and received a recording asking household income, trade warranty, how soon am I ready to purchase. Never did it state “congrats” you are a winner! Then I called the dealership and a salesman stated confirmation code had to match their dealership board. ( He stated not a $5000 winner yet) Gimmick to get you In to dealership. If right from the get they are deceiving why trust them during a sale!

  23. Money Carlo in Minnesota promises big bucks but “winners” end up as “losers”! Shame on you Forest Lake Auto Group for employing this scam 🙁

  32. I got the 5000 matching 7’s from Jem Auto in Anoka MN. I knew it was too good too be true but what a rotten thing to do to get someone in the door. It should not be legal.

      • I am really disappointed that the Anoka County Fairgrounds allowed JEM Auto to use our nice county fairgrounds in Anoka, Minnesota. They allowed JEM Auto to blatantly conduct this dishonorable scheme to deceive good people into thinking they have won $5,000 with the matching 777’s on the Money Carlo game piece. But when you have to go there you will only be denied your cash winnings because those numbers are not the supposed real winning numbers which are different in their possession there for you to win the $5,000 cash is what they will tell you. Shame on you JEM Auto for this cruel unscrupulous scheme of making good people think they have won $5,000 cash but denying them that just to get as many people as possible to this location only for these deceiving sales people attempt to sell you a car during this short 3 day sale. The saying “if it seems too good to be true, it probably is” definitely holds true in this case for these crummy JEM Auto sales people!

        • Where is the State of Minnesota Attorney General?

          The citizens of the great state of Minnesota deserve to have their hard-earned money that goes to paying taxes for their Minnesota Attorney General get their money’s worth by having this shady business JEM Auto Sales in Anoka, MN investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Hopefully, they will be fined heavily for deceiving all the good people of Minnesota that they sent those fraudulent Money Carlo game cards to!

  35. Rich Morton Mazda in Pasadena,MD has Money Carlo 777 match for $5,000. Look at the – or — next to the word “cash” and “win!”. Read the fine print associated with the – and –. You haven’t really won.

  36. Thanks all…it sure is false advertising to me! I showed to have won 1000, and I called. Basically the young lady stated that she was just the person to set the appointment up. She was very reluctant to go into details. When I asked if there was someone else that can explain to me in detail further, she was no help. She’s just doing her job, but they should stop this mess…I received mine from Casey Chevrolet in Newport News, Va. I was going to go, but again, thanks to technology……

  38. Thank you so much! I thought it was bs but when I read the fine print it actually seemed legit, but alas this page cleared that all up Thanks Again!

  40. We went in just for the hell of it for a $500 prize… knowing it was probably BS. They gave us a $5 Walmart gift card for our time & told us our # didn’t match their board lol Scammers

  41. Thanks for the information! I too am a winner of $ 5000. according to my card! I decided to check on line before going out there and walla— I found all of you who are also winners of the $5000. I did try calling them as directed and roto voice took my number and then wanted me to answer some questions. Half way through the questions I was either cut off or hung up on not sure which. I am just curious as to how they get away with it. I checked every angle I could think of and I could find nothing in small print to say that you “might” be the winner! It was “you have won “! Oh Well, Thanks for advice. Easy come, easy go!

  42. Yup! Kearns uses all kinds of gimmicks to lure in customers! Big TV, trips, cash for test driving. Go there once & revisit 3 months later you won’t recognize anyone! I had a simple oil change once & they cut off parts of my car & said it needs to be fixed. I found those pieces in a near by garbage in plain sight!

  43. Thanks to Google and all of you, I don’t have to waste my time on my bogus win of $5,000 from Kearns Motor Cars in Johnson Creek, Wi. and Jefferson, WI.

    • Since I ‘won’ today, the fact that you also ‘won’ the $5000 from Kearns Motor Cars in Johnson Creek, WI and Jefferson, WI, in this round of advertisements would serve to confirm the idea that it is bogus. If a business has to trick you to get you in the door they are not a place you want to deal with.

    • I “won” from Kearns Motor Cars in Johnson Creek, Wi . too! Glad I found this. I hope that Kearns Motor Cars in Johnson Creek, Wi , Money Carlo, and scam come up in a google search for Kearns Motor Cars in Johnson Creek, Wi

  45. Okay but what happens when you take the card in? Do they literally tell you that it isn’t a winner even though it shows that it is? Every report I have read doesn’t go into details about why they don’t pay up. I get that it is a tactic to bring people into their lots, but I would assume pissing people off by saying they won and not giving the prize out would cause more bad publicity than they would want.

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