419 scam: "Helen"<asiasurf@pozitif.net> Your email address has won US$1M

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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:

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.
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!

Fraud email example:

From: "Helen" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <ap@gncn.net>
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2011 21:06:28 +0700
Subject: Your email address has won US$1M

Your email address has won US$1M
ASIA PACIFIC 2011 WINNING NOTIFICATION!!!
TICKET FREE/ONLINE E-MAIL ADDRESS WINNINGS DEPARTMENT.

Are you the correct owner of this email address? If yes then be glad this day as the result of the ASIA PACIFIC 2011 online e-mail address free-ticket winning draws of March 1st, 2011 has just been released and we are glad to announce to you that your email address won you the sweepstakes in the first category and you are entitled to claim the sum of one Million USA Dollars.

Your email address was entered for the online draw on this ticket #:085-12876077-09 and won on this Lucky #: 03-06-08-10-12-16-27. For claims, contact Mr.Andreas Walter on this email address web.aplo@w.cn for options on how to receive your won prize of US$1M.

To enable Mr.Andreas Walter ascertain you as the rightful winner and receiver of the $1Million, MAKE SURE you include the below listed information in your contact mail to him.

Your complete official names, country of origin and country of residence/work, contact telephone and mobile numbers, address, amount won, free ticket and lucky numbers, date of draw. OPTIONAL: - [Sex, age, occupation and job title].

Announcer !!!

Dr Helen Chew loon
Asia Pacific Lottery Organization

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam