419 scam: "Yahoo Awards"<namka.mm@btconnect.com> ATTENTION

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

Click here to report a problem with this page.

Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

An email address listed inside this email has been used in a known fraud before.
This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "fiduciary agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "claim agent" (real lotteries do not use a "claim agent" / "fiduciary agent")
- "million british pounds" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- ",000,000" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "00,000.00" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
This email message is a fake lottery scam. Consider the following facts about real lotteries:
1. They don't notify winners by email.
2. You can't win without first buying a lottery ticket.
3. They don't randomly select email addresses to award prizes to.
4. They don't use free email accounts (Yahoo, Hotmail, etc) to communicate with you.
5. They don't tell you to call a mobile phone number.
6. They don't tell you to keep your winnings secret.
7. They will never ask a winner to pay any fees to receive a prize!
This email lists mobile phone numbers. Use of such numbers is typical for scams because they allow criminals to conceal their true location. They can receive calls in an Internet cafe from where they send you emails, while pretending to be in some office.
- +447031741663 (UK, redirects to a mobile phone in another country)
This email lists free webmail addresses. Use of such addresses is typical for scams. Lotteries, banks and any but the smallest of companies do not normally use such addresses. Criminals use them to anonymously send and receive email at Internet cafes.
- drrichardadams7@gmail.com (email address has been used in a known fraud before)

Fraud email example:

From: "Yahoo Awards" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <drrichardadams7@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 30 May 2009 03:41:16 +0200
Subject: ATTENTION

Yahoo Awards Center
124 Stockport Road, Longsight, Manchester M60 2DB - United Kingdom

Attention: Selected Winner,

Sir/Madam,

This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of One Million British Pounds Sterling (£1,000,000.00) for 2010 Prize promotion which is organized by YAHOO, AOL & WINDOWS LIVE every month.

YAHOO and MICROSOFT collects all the email addresses of the people that are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail and few from other e-mail providers.

Six people are selected monthly to benefit from this promotion and you are one of the Selected Winners.

PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM.

Winners shall be paid in accordance with his/her Settlement Centre. Yahoo Prize Award must be claimed not later than 20 days from date of Draw Notification. Any prize not claimed within this period will be forfeited and added to the next stake.

Stated below are your identification numbers: BATCH NUMBER: YHO/MCR/ 43658/611 REFERENCE NUMBER: YHO/MCR/2008234522 PIN: YHO/MCR/ 1208/ WINNING NUMBER: 01 14 21 30 35 48.

Please note that your winning numbers fall within the European Location, therefore, you are requested to contact our fiduciary agent in London England , with the following information: -

CONTACT PERSON: Dr. RICHARD ADAMS
TEL: + 44 703 174 1663
E-MAIL: drrichardadams7@gmail.com
ADDRESS124 STOCKPORT ROAD, LONGSIGHT, MANCHESTER M60 2DB - UNITED KINGDOM

You are advised to send the following information’s to your Claim Agent to facilitate the release of your fund to you.

1. Full name: ................................................
2. Age: ........................................................
3. Sex: .........................................................
4. Marital Status: ...........................................
5. Occupation: ..............................................
5. Contact address: ........................................
6. Country of origin: .......................................
7. Reference Number:....................................
8. Batch Number: .........................................
9. Amount Won: ............................................
10. Direct Contact Phone Number: ..................

Do not tell people about your Prize Award until your money is successfully handed over to you to avoid disqualification that may arise from double claim.
Warning!!!! You may also receive similar e-mails from people portraying to be other Organizations of yahoo Inc. This is solely to collect your personal information from you and lay claim over your winning therefore do not respond to such emails.

In event that you receive any e-mail similar to the notification letter that was sent to you, kindly delete it from your mail box and give no further correspondence to such person or body.

Yahoo shall not be held responsible for any loss of fund arising from the above mentioned. PLS SEND YOUR REPLY TO YOUR CLAIMING MANAGER EMAIL ADDRESS
drrichardadams7@gmail.com

Congratulations once again from all the staffs of Yahoo Awards Center.

Yours in service,

Mrs. Mercy Ellen Meaden
Foreign operation manager
( Yahoo Awards Center )

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam